Bester’s pre-trial hearing to be heard on Friday
Dr Nandipha Magudumana is charged with aiding Thabo Bester and to escape from prison.
Thabo Bester, a convicted rapist and murderer, is set to face a pre-trial hearing in the Free State High Court in Bloemfontein on Friday. The hearing will determine whether all outstanding legal matters have been resolved and if the case is ready for trial. Bester and his co-defendant, Dr Nandipha Magudumana, were last seen virtually in court in June.
Bester is currently held at the eBongweni Super Maximum Correctional Centre in KwaZulu-Natal, where he escaped from Mangaung Prison in 2022, a facility managed privately by security company G4S. Bester's legal team claims that the lack of contact since his transfer in January has hindered his trial preparations. They have also requested access to a laptop and more relaxed jail conditions.
The prosecutor has pledged to assist in arranging consultations between Bester and his legal team. Magudumana's lawyer has argued that proceeding with the trial before her Constitutional Court matter is resolved would be a waste of time. The judge previously warned against delays, with the trial date now tentatively set for the first quarter of 2027.
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