Case against trio who aided Bester to escape postponed to next month

A case against three more suspects who were recently arrested for aiding Thabo Bester escape from prison has been postponed to July 3. 

Thabang Moeketsi Mier, Thabang Joel Makhetha and Moeketsi Ramolula, who are G4S employees, appeared in the Bloemfontein magistrate’s court on Wednesday morning. All three suspects appeared with their respective legal representatives who confirmed they would represent them and stated that their clients were first-time offenders. 

The prosecutor revealed that Mier only faces one charge of aiding an inmate to escape, while Makhetha and Ramolula both face three charges of violating a body, aiding an inmate to escape and corruption. 

The state and defence applied for the matter to be postponed to allow for the gathering of information for bail application. Magistrate Mohlolo Khabisi granted the application and said the suspects would remain in custody until their next appearance.

National police spokesperson Brig Athlenda Mathe said that one suspect was arrested at his home in Botshabelo, 66km east of Bloemfontein, while the other two were arrested in Bloemfontein on Monday.     

The trio joins Senohe Matsoara, Teboho Lipholo, Buti Masemola, Tieho Frans Makhotsa, Natassja Jansen, Nandipha Magudumana, Thabo Bester, Zolile Sekeleni and Xanda Moyo who are all implicated in the escape saga.    

Bester was arrested in Arusha, Tanzania, on April 8 after fleeing the country alongside Dr Magudumana and Zakaria Alberto, a Mozambican national.