Bester, Magudumana and Co-Accused Return to Court as Pre-Trial Proceedings Continue
Thabo Bester, his partner Dr Nandipha Magudumana, and their co-accused are expected to return to court on Friday for a pre-trial hearing linked to Bester’s dramatic escape from the Mangaung Correctional Facility in May 2022.
The matter has experienced repeated delays, and it is understood that a formal trial date can only be set once Bester and Magudumana’s outstanding legal challenges have been resolved. Bester is currently contesting the conditions of his imprisonment, while Magudumana has taken her bid for freedom to the Constitutional Court.
Both were brought back to South Africa in April 2023 after their escape attempt was halted, leading to renewed charges against them and those accused of aiding the breakout.
Bester, Magudumana, and seven others — Senohe Matsoara, Zolile Sekeleni, Teboho Liphoko, Buti Masukela, Tieho Makhotsa, Zanda Moyo, and Joel Makhetha — face a long list of charges. These include fraud, corruption, assisting an inmate to escape, violation of a body, arson, and defeating the ends of justice.
According to the State, the group played various roles in orchestrating Bester’s escape from the maximum security facility, where he had been serving a sentence for murder and rape. The escape — which involved the use of a deceased body in his cell and a staged fire — sparked national outrage and led to a series of high-level investigations.
Friday’s proceedings are expected to determine the way forward, but with multiple legal matters still pending, the trial remains on hold for now.
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