Facebook rapist prison escape: ‘Government is embarrassed’ – minister

Sudan

Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni says the government is embarrassed that convicted criminal Thabo Bester escaped from custody.

“Indeed government is embarrassed.

“It’s embarrassing that a convicted criminal sentenced to life escapes from prison. That’s why Cabinet has instructed law enforcement to make sure he is recaptured as soon as possible.”

“As government, we take seriously our responsibility to make sure that convicted criminals serve their term in jail and those who are their victims feel justice has been served,” Ntshavheni said on Thursday. 

Meanwhile, according to News24, during a briefing at Grootvlei Correctional Centre in Bloemfontein on Thursday morning, acting national correctional services commissioner Makgothi Thobakgale said an investigation into the “embarrassing incident” found that the director of the prison had “lost effective control of the facility”.

Thobakgale appointed Patrick Ali Mashabathakga as temporary manager of the prison, saying he would take over the functions of the director with immediate effect, the report said.

“This will mean that this temporary manager will perform the functions of the director. In this instance, I have appointed Mr Patrick Ali Mashabathakga as the temporary manager of Mangaung correctional facility with immediate effect, EWN quoted Thobakgale as saying.

Bester, who was convicted of murder and rape, escaped from the facility in May 2022.

 

Facebook rapist prison escape: ‘G4S has not been co-operating’ – DCS

Department of Correctional Services National Commissioner (DCS) Makgothi Thobakgale says G4S has not been co-operating with the investigation into convicted Facebook rapist Thabo Bester’s prison escape.

“Let me indicate that one of the challenges we faced in our investigation is that we were not getting the necessary co-operation and the information that we needed from G4S for us to be able to conduct our investigation.

“…We are seeking legal advice on how to treat the relationship the department has with the contractor,” Thobakgale said during a media briefing on Thursday where he spoke to the tensions in the relationship with G4S.

Thobakgale said Correctional Services was delayed in publicising the results of the investigation into Bester’s escape because the investigation itself “took long”.

“We were furnished with the DNA results and the postmortem report in October,” he said and added that the final report was only submitted to the department on 22 March 2023.

However, G4S maintained that all relevant information was provided to the police.

Facebook rapist prison escape: ‘Accountability lies with Correctional Services, G4S

Cape Town – The portfolio committee on Justice and Correctional Services says it has noted with “grave concern” reports of the escaped convicted Facebook rapist Thabo Bester.

According to EWN, the committee said it has scheduled an urgent meeting to receive a briefing from the Department of Correctional Services on the daring prison escape.

Committee member Janho Engelbrecht said that the department should ultimately account, the report said.

“I think there’s a big problem at G4S. However, accountability lies with Correctional Services. There are measures in place from Correctional Services where they can check if the things that need to happen at these private facilities are, indeed, happening,” the report quoted Engelbrecht as saying.

According to Times Live, Engelbrecht added: “It is imperative the public is afforded the truth and full details behind how an escape of this nature occurred, how may prison officials and potentially political leaders were involved, and what actions were subsequently taken by correctional services and the SAPS.”

He said that G4S and the department must account to parliament on how Bester’s escape was kept under wraps for so long.

“We note G4S dismissing three prison wardens from the Mangaung correctional centre in connection with the fire which led to Bester’s escape, this after they stated that Bester was the prisoner who died in his cell, despite DNA results stating otherwise,” said Engelbrecht.

 

Thabo Bester’s doctor girlfriend suspended – HPCSA

Cape Town – Dr Nandipha Magudumana, the socialite doctor and girlfriend of escaped convict Thabo Bester (also known as the Facebook rapist), has had her licence to practise suspended by the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA).

According to News24, the HPCSA said on Wednesday that Magudumana had been suspended “in terms of Section 19A(1)(b) of the Health Professions Act for failure to pay annual fees when they were due on 1 April 2021”.

According to a search of the organisation’s website, Magudumana studied medicine at Wits University in 2013. She is not currently registered with the HPCSA, the organisation said.

Her father confirmed on Wednesday that Magudumana was in hiding and that he was concerned for her safety

“One time she was in touch with me when all this fracas started. She was asking me about her mom’s health and she said she is in hiding … she didn’t need to explain to me, I know what is happening there in Johannesburg. [I am] very worried. How can I not be worried about my daughter?

“I don’t want any person to know her whereabouts because I don’t trust anybody. It’s a very sensitive matter. I have left it to the people to do their investigations and all that,” Magudumana’s father told eNCA on Wednesday morning.

Reports indicated that there was no activity at the doctor’s practice on Wednesday.

“There is no movement at #ThaboBester‘s girlfriend #DrNandipha Magudumana’s practice. The doors to Optinum Medical Asthetic Solutions, at Green Park Corner in Morningside, Sandton, remains shut despite Magudumana announcing last week they would be open today,” tweeted journalist Orrin Singh.

On Monday Magudumana had announced on her Instagram timeline that her practice would be open on Wednesday at 9am.

 

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A post shared by Dr Nandipha (@drnandipha)


According to Times Live, a member of Green Park Corner management told the media that despite their efforts to contact Magudumana, her phone remained switched off.

“She doesn’t answer her calls. From our side we don’t want to make any comment until we have proper proof [regarding the allegations against her],” the report quoted the management as saying.

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Compiled by Betha Madhomu 

Thabo Bester and celebrity doctor ‘used armed thugs in blue-light convoy’ to flee

Cape Town – Convicted rapist and now fugitive Thabo Bester together with celebrity doctor Nandipha Magudumana whom he was believed to have stayed with, reportedly left their Hyde Park home in a hurry when news about Bester’s escape broke.

Reports said the two haven’t been seen since it was discovered that the burned body found at Mangaung Correctional Centre was not the “Facebook rapist” but that of an unknown man.

Bester was sentenced to life in prison in 2012 for the murder of one woman and rape of two models before he was reportedly found dead in his single cell in May last year.

Bester had been living with the celebrity doctor, renting luxury properties in Johannesburg as Katlego Tom “TK” Motsepe Nkwana, News24 reported.

The report said that the two fled last week, following an argument that broke out on March 21 between Magudumana and the landlord at the property.

The report said a man who wished to remain anonymous who went into the property last Monday said it appeared as if the pair left in a hurry.

ALSO READ | ‘Heads must roll, we are not safe!’ – Maimane on Facebook rapist’s confirmed escape

“These thugs – I call them ‘thugs’ because they were armed to the hilt, bulletproofs vests and they came in driving Mercedes’ with blue-light on. They were just there to ‘escort’ the removal vans which came to take away all their stuff,” the report quoted the man as saying.

Both the property manager and real estate agency, who recognised Bester after news of his escape broke, claimed he had been hiding at the property and before securing the property, requested that the home have high walls and be “very, very private”.

According to TimesLIVE, G4S insisted that Bester died in his cell and did not escape as confirmed by the Department of Correctional Services (DCS).

DCS was engaging with the security company to get details of what happened on the day.

“There are disagreements. They are maintaining that the inmate who was allocated that particular cell is the one that died in that fire and we are saying that is not the case.” the report quoted DCS spokesperson Singabakho Nxumalo as saying.

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Compiled by Olwethu Mpeshe 

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