Three men, including accused 10 Thabo Mier, 11 Thabang Joel Makhetha, and 12 Moeketsi Ramolula, made a brief court appearance before Magistrate Mohlolo Khabisi on Wednesday 28 June 2023. 

Mier faces only one count of aiding Bester to escape from the Mangaung Correctional Centre under the guard of the British company G4S. 

The other two, Makhetha and Ramolula, face charges of aiding Bester to escape from lawful custody, corruption and violating a dead body. Mier faces a Schedule 1 offence whilst the other co-accused face a Schedule 5 offence. The G4S employees have been remanded in custody until their next court appearance on 3 July 2023 for bail information.

On Tuesday 27 June 2023, the national police spokesperson, Athlenda Mathe, said a trio was arrested on Monday at their places of residence at Botshabelo and Bloemfontein in the Free State.

The G4S employees have been remanded in custody until their next court appearance on 3 July 2023 for bail information. PHOTO: Lucky Nkuyane

The trio is aged between 37 and 47 years old. So far, 12 people have been arrested for aiding and abetting the convicted Facebook rapist and murderer on 3 May 2022 to escape from Cell 35 in Broadway, at the Mangaung Correctional Centre.

"One suspect was arrested at his home in Botshabelo while the other two were arrested at their residences in Bloemfontein. All three were arrested on Monday evening 26 June 2023," Mathe said.

Mathe added that the possibility of effecting more arrests could not be ruled out.

So far only two suspects are out on bail of R10 000. They include the father of Nandipha Magudumana, Zolile Sekeleni and former G4S controller Nastassja Jansen.

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State prosecutor Sello Matlhoko recently told Magistrate Mohlolo Khabisi that there were three outstanding warning statements and arrests. Matlhoko said these included bank statements and phone records.

In March this year, during the meeting with Members of Parliament (MPs), G4S officials told MPs that 23 officials were on duty during the night of Bester's escape, of which 7 were suspended and 3 were fired. Another former employee Motanyane John Masukela recently resigned.

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Those previously accused in the matter include accused 1 Senohe Matsoara, 2 Sekeleni, 3 Teboho James Lipholo, 4 Magudumana, 5 Bester, 6 Masukela, 7 Tieho Frans Makhotsa, 8 Jansen, and 9 Zanda Moyo. They all face varying charges, including the charges mentioned above.

Only Magudumana and Moyo are yet to apply for bail. Moyo during his last court appearance abandoned his right to apply for bail while Magudumana reserved her right to apply for bail in one of her previous appearances.

The three accused made a brief court appearance on Wednesday 28 June 2023. PHOTO: Lucky Nkuyane 

Bester was arrested in Tanzania, alongside Magudumama after they allegedly went on the run from the police. It's said that after his escape from G4S Bester lived a lavish lifestyle in Johannesburg. But after being nabbed in Tanzania he and his girlfriend were brought back to South Africa.

Bester was sent to Kgosi Mampuru Maximum Correctional Centre whilst Magudumana was brought to Bloemfontein where she appeared in court on 13 April 2023.

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