The convicted Facebook rapist and murderer Thabo Bester cried foul to Bloemfontein Acting Chief Magistrate, alleging consultations were secretly recorded by the Department of Correctional Services.

On Wednesday (11/10), through one of his defence lawyers, Kabelo Matee, Bester told Magistrate Estelle de Lange that his telephonic consultations with his lawyer were secretly being recorded by the Department of Correctional Services (DCS). 

Matee said this violated lawyer and client privilege because Bester is also inclined to privacy. This was not the first time Bester complained about DCS. Recently he told De Lange about the alleged inhumane treatment he was subjected to at the hands of officials at the Kgosi Mampuru Maximum Correctional Centre in Pretoria. 

Thabo Bester appeared in the Bloemfontein Magistrate's Court. Photo: Kekeletso Mosebetsi

However, state prosecutor Amanda Bester also told De Lange she wasn't aware of the DCS's alleged secret recordings.

Yesterday Bester and other co-accused, including accused 1 Senohe Matsoara and Nandipha Magudumana's father, Zolile Sekeleni, appeared in court. Nine people, including former G4S officials, appeared in court on charges of corruption, fraud, aiding, abetting, and violating a dead body.

In May 2022, Katlego Bereng's body was used as a decoy to aid Bester's escape from lawful custody in the Mangaung Correctional Centre in Bloemfontein.

Bester is said to have had a lavish lifestyle in Johannesburg. 

He was, however, caught with his girlfriend Nandipha Magudumana and a Mozambican national in Tanzania. But after being re-arrested in Tanzania, he and Magudumana were both brought back to South Africa.

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

Meanwhile, a High Court trial date has been set for the suspects involved in the Thabo Bester escape case.

State prosecutor Bester told De Lange the prosecution, together with the defence, agreed that 21 February 2024 has been set for a High Court trial.

Eleven suspects, including Bester, appeared before De Lange. A notable exception was that of Magudumana who failed to make an appearance due to apparent ill health.

In a twist of events yesterday the state announced that charges against the three accused were dropped. They are accused 7, Nastassja Jansen, 10 Thabang Mier, and 12 Moeketsi Ramolula.

However, the parents of  Bereng expressed shock over the charges withdrawn against three of the accused.

OFM News