Nandipha Magudumana is expected to continue her bid for bail in the Bloemfontein magistrate’s court on Wednesday.
In a dramatic turn of events during the proceedings on Tuesday, she claimed that her lover, convicted murderer and rapist Thabo Bester, forced her to flee the country.
Despite the evident joy she displayed when she was reunited with Bester in court early in August, her countenance had now shifted.
She appeared distraught and was seen shedding tears during the court session on Tuesday.
Presenting her affidavit, Magudumana’s lawyer explained that she had been compelled by Bester to flee the country.
The contents of her affidavit revealed that she resisted Bester’s demands, but he used force to coerce her into a vehicle, eventually departing for Tanzania.
“I was instructed and commanded by accused number five to enter into the vehicle … I refused and wanted an explanation, but he forced me into the vehicle,” reads the affidavit.
“I succumbed to the pressure. I was helpless, defenceless with no one to report to. I complied with his instruction and was taken out of the country.”
However the state, which is opposing the bail application, argued that Magudumana is a flight risk and cannot be trusted.
In a replying affidavit, inspecting officer Lieutenant-Colonel Tieho Flyman disputed her claim that she was kidnapped by Bester, asserting that Magudumana willingly fetched him after his escape from Mangaung Correctional Centre and they stayed together.
Flyman highlighted their joint activities and questioned why she had not reported the alleged kidnapping earlier, making an emphasis on the couple’s seemingly affectionate behaviour in court over a week ago.
Presenting evidence of Magudumana’s involvement in the escape, Flyman argued that she was not coerced into fleeing the country.
“Looking at how the applicant is involved, and the role played in the escape, there is no evidence that she was at any stage forced or threatened,” he said.
In her bail application, Magudumana cites her responsibilities as a mother, stating that she will not be a flight risk.
In her bid to persuade the magistrate that she poses no risk of fleeing if granted bail, she said her only passport was confiscated when she was deported.
She also stressed her firm commitment not to escape, expressing her willingness to attend court proceedings and adhere to any stipulated bail terms.
Nonetheless, Flyman countered that she has reasons to evade trial, given multiple pending fraud cases and her history of fleeing with Bester.
He accused her of dishonesty and creating false court documents.
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