Convicted rapist and murderer Thabo Bester and his eight co-accused, including Dr Nandipha Magudumana, appeared in the Bloemfontein High Court on Tuesday, 17 June 2025, for a pretrial hearing.
Bester is accused of faking his death and escaping from the Mangaung Correctional Centre in May 2022, where he was serving a life sentence. He was later arrested in Tanzania alongside his partner and alleged accomplice, Dr Nandipha Magudumana.
During the hearing, prosecutor Advocate Amanda Bester announced the withdrawal of charges against former G4S employee Motanyane John Masukela. Masukela was one of the guards on duty when Bester escaped and was accused of assisting him.
Magudumana’s father, Zolile Sekeleni, was informed that the trial may be forced to proceed without his legal representation. This follows the rejection of his application for legal aid in January 2025. According to reports, he is expected to appeal the decision.
Meanwhile, one of the accused, Teboho Lipholo, experienced breathing difficulties during the hearing, prompting an adjournment so he could receive medical attention. Lipholo is a former CCTV technician at Mangaung Correctional Centre who is accused of disabling the security cameras and helping Bester exit the prison.
The remaining accused all face charges including fraud, corruption, aiding an escape, violating a corpse, and defeating the ends of justice.
The case has been postponed to 19 September 2025 to allow time for unresolved legal matters to be addressed.
