The bail application for the five former G4S employees allegedly involved in the escape of convicted murderer and rapist Thabo Bester has been deferred until Friday when cross-examination of the investigating officer will continue.
On Tuesday, the accused appeared in person before the Bloemfontein magistrate’s court, while Bester and his accomplice and lover, Nandipha Magudumana, appeared virtually.
Kagisho Moruri, the attorney representing accused one, Senohe Matsoara, and accused seven, Tieho Makhotsa, cross-examined the witness, investigating officer Tieho Flyman.
Moruri questioned the witness about the death of Katlego Bereng, whose burnt body was found in Bester’s cell after his escape from the Mangaung Correctional Centre in May 2022, asking if a post-mortem had been conducted in Bereng’s case.
The witness revealed that the post-mortem indicated Bereng had a head fracture but no signs of smoke inhalation were found in his lungs.
The witness had previously testified that Matsoara and Bereng knew each other and would often be seen drinking together.
Moruri challenged this claim, stating that Matsoara did not know the deceased.
He further pressed Flyman for details on where Matsoara and Bereng drank together, and the specific date of their encounters, to which Flyman failed to provide details.
Moruri also questioned Flyman about money flowing into Matsoara’s account from an individual with the initials TK, indicating that TK could refer to anyone whose name begins with those initials or could even be a nickname.
“I put it to you [that] TK could mean a variety of things. It could be anyone whose name starts with TK, could be a nickname,” he said.
During the court proceedings last week, Flyman revealed that Matsoara, suspected of paying G4S employees to assist in the escape, received a minimum of R150 000 from an individual referred to as TK.
Flyman confirmed that Matsoara had offered a payment of at least R2.5-million to Teboho Lipholo, a technician from Integritron Integrated Solutions, who was contracted by G4S, as well as other individuals involved, to ensure the success of the escape.
However, Lipholo only received R40 000. Before the escape, R30,000 was deposited into his wife’s bank account and the remaining R10 000 was paid to him after the escape.
Flyman stated: “Our investigation confirms that Matsoara facilitated the payment to ensure Thabo Bester’s escape. Regular payments ranging from R20 000 to R50 000, totaling to at least R150 000, were transferred from TK’s account to Matsoara’s account.
“He subsequently paid accused number two [Lipholo] at least R30 000 from the funds deposited by TK.”
Moruri argued that Matsoara would not interfere with any witnesses if granted bail.
However, the witness countered this statement, stating that accused persons often claim they would not interfere, but still do so in usual instances.
“In usual instances, the accused persons always confirm they will not interfere with the witnesses, but they usually do,” Flyman said.
The bail application was adjourned to Friday for further proceedings.
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