The case against convicted murderer and rapist, Thabo Bester,has been rescheduled to June 20.
Bester made a virtual appearance before the Bloemfontein magistrate’s court on Tuesday from Kgosi Mampuru prison, where he is currently incarcerated.
The case against him involves his escape from the Mangaung Correctional Centre in May 2022.
During Tuesday’s proceedings, the court acknowledged and accepted the withdrawal of Bester’s previous lawyer, Ryan Ismail. Advocate Tsoeunyane Phila promptly assumed the role of Bester’s new legal representative.
Phila informed the court that they had not agreed for Bester to appear virtually, emphasizing the importance of having his client physically present in court for consultation purposes.
He stated: “We wanted to consult with our client before proceedings. It’s important for our client to be here. It was difficult for us to speak to our client virtually.”
The state argued that they had previously indicated that the Department of Correctional Services had requested Bester to appear virtually. However, Phila countered, stating that both the state and the public should be assured that the person appearing before the court is indeed Bester.
To support his argument, he referred to a past incident where Bester’s accomplice and lover, Nandipha Magudumana, appeared in court wearing a mask and a hoodie. The court had requested her to remove her disguise to confirm her identity, and she complied.
The magistrate responded to Phila’s assertions, deeming them erroneous. The magistrate stated, “We have no reason to believe the wrong person is before this court.”
Shortly after Bester’s virtual appearance, Magudumana also appeared virtually before the court.
Her case was also postponed to June 20 for further investigations. Magudumana made her appearance from the Kroonstad Women’s Prison.
Also read: Bester to join co-accused virtually in Bloemfontein court
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