Ninth suspect nabbed for Bester escape

The 31-year-old man police arrested in Joburg on Sunday in connection with Thabo Bester’s prison escape is believed to have assisted Dr Nandipha Magudumana to claim decoy corpses from the mortuary. 

A senior police close to the probe said that the suspect, whose name is known to Sowetan, was arrested during a sting operation by the Gauteng crime intelligence and organised crime unit after an undercover operation.

The source said the man, who is custody and co-operating with the police, was with Magudumana when they claimed the body of Katlego Bereng from a Free State state mortuary last year. 

His body was used as a decoy by Bester when he allegedly set it alight in his cell at Mangaung Correctional Centre before his daring escape on May 3 last year. Bereng disappeared days before the escape and his family only learnt about his death in April after DNA samples were taken from his mother. He was buried last month. 

The Zimbabwean man has become the ninth suspect to be arrested in relation to Bester’s escape.

National police spokesperson Brig Athlenda Mathe said he was arrested on Sunday morning in Johannesburg.

“At this stage, he faces a charge of assisting an inmate to escape from lawful custody,” said Mathe.

She, however, did not specify what the role of the suspect was in the escape of Bester, who has been dubbed the Facebook rapist.

“The suspect is likely to face more charges. Nine people have so far been arrested in this case.”

Mathe said the suspect was expected to appear in the Bloemfontein magistrate’s court on Tuesday.

She said police investigations were ongoing and more people linked to his escape could find themselves behind bars.

“The possibility of police effecting more arrests cannot be ruled out.”

Bester escaped from prison last year allegedly with the aid of prison employees and his girlfriend Magudumana. The two were arrested in Tanzania in April and were returned to SA a few days later.