Cape Town – Police have confirmed that two men are the latest to be arrested in connection with Thabo Bester’s daring escape from Mangaung prison in May last year.
The two arrests follow reports that the father of Bester’s girlfriend, Nandipha Magudumana, was arrested along with three other people on Saturday, a day after his daughter and Bester were apprehended in Tanzania.
Police said the two men – an ex-G4S employee, 39, and a 65-year-old man from the Eastern Cape – were arrested on Friday and Saturday as investigations into Bester’s escape intensified.
They are scheduled to appear in the Bloemfontein magistrate’s court on Tuesday, the police said.
According to national police spokesperson, Brigadier Athlenda Mathe, the two were taken into custody by a multidisciplinary team investigating Bester’s escape.
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She said the former G4S employee was arrested in Bloemfontein while the 65-year-old man was arrested at his home in Port Edward.
“Both suspects have been charged with aiding and abetting a convicted prisoner to escape from lawful custody,” Mathe said.
She added that a delegation led by police deputy national commissioner Lieutenant-General Tebello Mosikili had arrived in Arusha, Tanzania.
“The team is currently engaged with their Tanzanian counterparts to finalise all legal processes required towards bringing escapee Thabo Bester and his accomplices to justice in South Africa,” Mathe said.
She said the National Commissioner General, Fannie Masemola had welcomed the latest arrests, adding that more arrests “could not be ruled out” and appealing for patience to “allow the investigators the space to conduct the investigations with no undue pressure and expectation”.
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Compiled by Olwethu Mpeshe
