In a highly anticipated court hearing, the seven individuals involved in the controversial Thabo Bester escape case are set to appear in the Bloemfontein Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday.
Bester and his partner, Dr Nandipha Magudumana, will participate in the proceedings remotely, connecting from their respective detention facilities. Bester will join from the Kgosi Mampuru Correctional Facility in Pretoria, while Magudumana is expected to connect virtually from the Kroonstad prison where she is currently held.
These individuals are accused of aiding the notorious Facebook rapist and convicted murderer, Bester, in his escape from the Mangaung Correctional Centre in May last year.
Among the nine accused, four individuals — Teboho James Lipholo, Tieho Frans Makhotsa, Motanyane John (Buti) Masukela, and Senohe Matsoara — have been denied bail. These four individuals, who are all former G4S employees, will remain in custody until further legal proceedings take place.
Natassja Jansen, the second accused in the case, has been granted bail of R10 000, following the precedent set by the first accused, Zolile Sekeleni, who happens to be Magudumana’s father. Both Jansen and Sekeleni have been released on bail while awaiting the outcome of the case.
They will appear with the rest of the accused on Tuesday, including Zanda Moyo, who will make his second court appearance, as his previous hearing was postponed last week. Moyo was arrested in Johannesburg last week and faces charges of fraud, violation of a body, and harboring an escaped convict.
In the previous hearing, Magistrate Moholo Khabisi approved the state prosecutor’s request for a postponement, granting Moyo additional time to secure legal representation.
Stressing the significance of having legal representation, the magistrate advised the accused to use the time granted for the postponement to contact his family and make arrangements.
“The public prosecutor applied that this matter be postponed to gather information for the purposes of bail application,” the magistrate said.
“In the interim, you would have contacted your family members in regard to your legal representation.”
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