A state witness from the provincial organised crime unit giving testimony at the bail hearing, also told Magistrate Mohlolo Khabisi that the investigation is still ongoing and it is likely to take about a month or two.

Eight people, including Bester, his girlfriend Dr Nandipha Magudumana, her father Zolile Sekeleni, former G4S security supervisor Senohe Matsoara, and Integriton technician Teboho James Lipholo have been arrested and are among those in custody. They face varying charges – arson, fraud, aiding and abetting a prisoner to escape, defeating the ends of justice, and violating a corpse.

The bail hearing was postponed to Friday 19 May 2023.

The state witness has stated under oath during his testimony in chief that the suspects should not be given bail because this will have consequences, which might include public unrest and further worsening the trust in the justice system.

The defence attorney for accused 1 in the  Bester escape case, however, tried to poke holes in the evidence furnished by a star witness. Representing former G4S security supervisor Senohe Matsoara, Kagisho Moruri told the state witness that he errored when he said Matsoara travelled to Lesotho 16 times. The witness admitted in court that he errored about the number of visits of Matsoara to Lesotho. It has since been established that he only travelled to Lesotho four times. He also denied having family in Lesotho. 

Moruri is set to continue with the cross-examination of the state witness. So far only two lawyers have managed to cross-examine the state witness.

The case against Bester, his girlfriend, Magudumana, and her dad, Sekeleni, was postponed to 20 June 2023. Bester and Magudumana both appeared virtually in the Bloemfontein Magistrate's Court on Tuesday morning.

Bester is kept at the Kgosi Mampuru Maximum Prison Centre in Pretoria and appeared from court 19.

Magudumana is kept at the Kroonstad Correctional Centre and she appeared via Teams.

The State Prosecutor, Sello Matlhoko, has requested time for further investigation and the matter was postponed.

On Thursday 11 May, Magudumana reserved her right to apply for bail. Five of the co-accused have applied to be released on bail. 

On Friday 12 May 2023, the state witness said Bester paid Matsoara R150 000 whilst Matsoara further paid accused 3 Teboho James Lipholo and accused 7 Tieho Makhotsa R40 000 and R14 000 respectively. He said Bester was given a G4S uniform and walked out of the G4S prison in the early hours of 3 May 2022 with Integriton technician Lipholo. A fire was then staged inside his cell where the body of Mpholo was burnt.

Bester lived in the lap of luxury in Johannesburg following his escape. The Tanzanian police later arrested Bester and Magudumana after being on the run. They were returned to South Africa.

OFM News