By Ntombi Mhlongo
There is a new twist in the case of escaped convict and Facebook rapist Thabo Bester.
The latest is that the murder charge he faced together with his co-accused Dr Nandipha Magudumana, has been withdrawn by the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA).
On Wednesday, co-accused Magudumana, Senohe Matsoara, Teboho Lipholo, Buty Masemola, Tieho Makhotsa and Nastassja Jansen appeared in the Bloemfontein Magistrate’s Court for their alleged roles in Bester’s escape from the Mangaung Correctional Centre.
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The group was initially charged with murder after it was discovered that the charred body found in Bester’s prison cell was that of Katlego Junior Mpholo.
It is believed that his body was used to orchestrate the escape. Bester, with the help of prison officials, is alleged to have faked his death using Mpholo’s body and set it alight before his escape.
Bester and his accomplice, Magudumana, were arrested in Tanzania last month after authorities confirmed that the body in the cell was not that of Bester. Makhotsa and Jansen were arrested on Monday, joining their co-accused.
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They face 16 charges, including corruption, fraud, defeating the ends of justice and violation of a corpse. This is not the first case where the state has withdrawn one of the charges related to the case. The state withdrew a murder charge against Magudumana’s father, Zolile Cornelius Sekeleni recently.
Meanwhile, during Wednesday’s court proceedings, state prosecutor Sello Matlhoko asked that the bail application for Dr Magudumana and her co-accused be postponed to May 11 to 12, 2023.
It was reported that the decision was motivated by new developments and having a new accused in the case. It was reported that the defence lawyers needed to have more than two days for the bail applications.
