Cape Town – The mother of the man believed to have been used as a decoy in the Thabo Bester prison escape has reportedly rejected the convicted rapist and murderer’s emotional outburst as baseless.
Katlego Bereng’s body was purportedly incinerated in Bester’s cell during his escape from Mangaung prison more than two years ago.
Bester pleaded with the Bloemfontein High Court to reinstate the death penalty for him during his pre-trial hearing o.n Wednesday
He requested the death penalty, abolished in 1995, to be reinstated for him, believing it would free his accomplices.
“I came here with 80 cars, I woke up at 2am, I have been having chains on my feet, my feet are ice, I can barely feel my toes, this is not the way I want to proceed.
Thabo Bester asking for a death sentence to be imposed on him pic.twitter.com/T8rbLlf26q
— Shonny (@Shonny_SA) June 5, 2024
“I am not the worst inmate in this country. I don’t have the highest counts, I have three counts, but I am the most popular inmate in this country for no reason because of the political carnage and issue that I have in my personal life,” said Bester.
He added: “I feel it is unfair for these people that are sitting here, my so called co-accused to be in court when I know very well they have nothing to do with this, when I know very well that they were not present in any of these issues that are here. The people that are protected by the investigating team are clearly known. I have more than enough evidence to prove that this thing is much more than just average people that are working at G4S that just decided to release me. It is highly impossible to do that without political power with other high offices involved in this issue.”
Thabo Bester addressthe court and accused no1 Nandipha Magudumana breaks down
“I am not the worst inmate in this country” Thabo Bester #ThaboBester pic.twitter.com/EIUJO9pWKy
— News Live SA (@newslivesa) June 5, 2024
But according to EWN, Bereng’s mother Monica Matsie dismissed Bester’s outcry, labelling it as an act to garner sympathy.
“Now when we come to court, we must watch him and Nandipha being affectionate. Everything he is saying is nonsense because he misses the soft treatment that he was getting while he was at the Mangaung prison,” the report quoted Matsie as saying.
The judge advised Bester to submit a formal application for his grievances.
The trial has been postponed to the next month.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
