Matsoara allegedly distributed bribes to colleagues to aid Bester escape

Former prison warder Senohe Ishmael Matsoara and one of the accused in the Thabo Bester prison break case is said to be the man who distributed bribes to his colleagues to aid the escape. 

This was said by the investigating officer, who can't be named at this stage, during his second day of testimony at the Bloemfontein magistrate's court on Friday.

The officer firstly testified on Thursday when he was cross-examined by the state prosecutor Sello Matlhoko and he shed light on the role that his colleagues at Mangaung Correctional Centre Teboho Lipholo, Motanyane Masukela, Tieho Makhotsa and Nastassja Jansen played in aiding Bester's escape. They were applying for bail, while Bester's girlfriend Dr Magudumana provisionally abandoned hers. 

The officer said Magudumana’s father Zolile Sekeleni hired a car in Johannesburg and drove it to Bloemfontein on April 27 2022.

“On April 29 2022, the same vehicle was driven by Matsoara carrying the corpse to prison at approximately 5pm. 

“The car was carrying the corpse from the National Hospital which was claimed by Magudumana pretending that the body was that of her brother’s child known as Zanda Moyo and that she was assisting with the funeral,” said the officer.

He said the body was taken to Thusanong Mortuary which was to bury him. He added that a “funeral” was held and Matsoara managed to get access to the body.

“The real corpse did was not buried but the funeral went on and the coffin was taken to the grave like it was normal funeral. During our investigation we decided to exhume that body and inside the coffin we found three 10kgs of maize meal and not the body,” said the officer.

He said on the April 29 2022, Matsoara arrived at the prison and used the entrance called Sally Port which has two doors. At the time, Matsoara was supposed to be off duty.

He said on the day Masukela was designated at the gate and to get to get through Sally Port, one needs a gate pass.

“Matsoara had no gate pass and Masukela demanded it. While talking the operational supervisor who was on duty also came and demanded the pass from Matsoara,” Flyman said.

He said the supervisor then received an emergency call about a vehicle that needs to pass and upon his investigations there was no emergency.

“Matsoara then drove to the workshop without a gate pass and without his vehicle being searched.

“His vehicle was loaded with a TV stand and a bag with the corpse,” said Flyman.

He said once the body was in the prison workshop, Lipholo took it the following day and put it in the dustbin while pretending to be cleaning the yard.

Flyman said Lipholo used the emergency door to take the corpse to Broadway which is where single cells are. 

“On May 2, Lipholo who was supposed to knock off in the evening, he pretended he had knocked off and did not leave the prison. He and Matsoara conspired to place the body in cell 35 and Motsoara promised him R2,5m.

“The plans was for Lipholo to disconnect camera as the body is taken to Bester's cell,” Flyman said.

The fire in Bester's cell broke out in the early hours of May 3.

“The fire was put out the fire but according to the witness, Matsoara made it look as if he was helping with the fire but he was on his cellphone,” said Flyman.

He said Motsoara gave Bester G4S uniform and he walked out of prison. The  body that was found in the cell turned out to be that Katlego Bereng who was buried last week.

He said Bester was then dressed in the G4S uniform pretending to be one of the security when escaping the prison.

“Makhotsa and Jansen were working in the control room and they opened the doors for Bester to escape. Makhotsa was paid R14,000. Lipholo did not get the R2,5m he was promised by Matsoara but was paid R40, 000 which was deposited into his wife’s bank account,” said Flyman. 

Flyman pleaded with the court not to grant the accused bail because of the cruelty of crime.