No bail for four accused of helping Thabo Bester escape, one granted R10K bail

Magistrate Mohlolo Khabisi has denied bail to four of the five accused of helping Facebook Rapist Thabo Bester escape from the Mangaung Correctional Facility in Bloemfontein in May last year.

Magistrate Mohlolo Khabisi has denied bail for four of the five people implicated in Thabo Bester’s escape from the Mangaung Correctional Facility in Bloemfontein in May last year. He said granting bail was not in the best interests of justice.

The Bloemfontein Magistrate’s Court on Monday denied bail for four of the five people accused of helping convicted killer and Facebook rapist Thabo Bester escape custody last year.

Senohe Matsoara, Teboho Lipholo, Buti Masukela, Tieho Makhotsa were denied their bail application by magistrate Mohlolo Khabisi.

Khabisi ruled that it was not in the best interests of justice to grant the four bail.

However, the fifth accused, Natassja Jansen, was granted bail of R10 000 with conditions. Jansen’s lawyer had told the court that it was in the interest of justice to grant her bail as she was a single mother and had not been involved in assisting Bester escape.

Jansen, who was responsible for granting access to G4S employees, said her lawyer, was not aware that Bester had been given G4S uniform. She had simply did her job, he told the court.

Bester’s lover, Dr Nandipha Magudumana is also implicated but has opted to halt her bail application.

Magudumana has filed an urgent high court application claiming that her arrest in Tanzania and subsequent detention was unlawful.

Magudumana’s urgent application is expected to be heard at the Bloemfontein High Court on Thursday.

Home Affairs Minister, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, in a media briefing last week insisted that Magudumana was lawfully deported from Tanzania in April.

He said authorities in Tanzania, who had deported Magudumana and Bester, had been handed over to Home Affairs officials and not the SAPS.

Meanwhile, Bester has also hinted at possibly challenging his arrest in Tanzania.

Speaking to the SABC News, Bester’s attorney, Tsireledzo Ndou, said there were merits to his client’s claim.

“It is not off the table as yet. We are still speaking to the client and among us as the team. I am of the view that there are merits as to the unlawful (arrest) part,” Ndou said.

IOL