All 12 accused in Bester escape saga expected to appear in court on Tuesday

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A total of 12 accused including Thabo Bester and Nandipha Magudumana will appear in the Bloemfontein Magistrate’s Court tomorrow on charges relating to Bester’s escape from custody, among other things.

Previously Bester and Magudumana appeared in court virtually from Kgosi Mampuru prison and Bizzah Makhate Center.

Legal expert, Dikeledi Moeti is of the view the matter will not be argued but postponed for further investigation.

“Basically it’s gonna be impact for tomorrow for all of them to be in court. But for the short of the story the matter would basically going to be postponed for further investigation, depending on how far the state is with the investigations or whether there would be adding or arresting another accused we don’t know. But basically it’s going to be postponed for further investigations again.”

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The police had previously asked for three months to conclude with its investigations as there were chances of more arrests being made. All the accused in the matter except for Bester, Magudumana and Zanda Moyo are out on bail.

Magudumana and Moyo have both suspended their bail applications. Bester, who is charged with escaping from lawful custody, is not applying for bail. Moeti says the case is far from starting.

“I believe the state is not yet ready by now. But they are supposed to be ready by now. It would depend on the defence to oppose further investigations postponement. Because it’s due now and to come up with a trial date and or finalise or make it to be final reminder for a trial date.”

Bester escaped from the Mangaung prison in May last year after faking his suicide. The body of Katlego Bereng, confirmed via DNA with his mother, was confirmed to be that of the corpse found charred in Bester’s cell.