Thabo Bester says he won’t apply for bail even though he feels unsafe behind bars

Convicted rapist and murderer, Thabo Bester, has told the court he doesn't intend to apply for bail just yet.

Instead, the man dubbed the "Facebook rapist" says he will apply at a later stage.

Bester appeared in the Bloemfontein Magistrate's Court on Friday morning, 11 months after he escaped from the G4S-run Mangaung Correctional Centre. Bester face charges of escape, as well as defeating the ends of justice, violation of a body and fraud.

Bester listened intently as his legal representative stated his case before the magistrate, who initially declined Bester’s request to address the court.

His lawyer said Bester feared for his safety in prison and was unhappy with the food he was served in prison.

The matter was adjourned to next month.

Bester and his lover, Dr Nandipha Magudumana, were arrested in Tanzania at the weekend after they fled South Africa. They were brought back to the country in the early hours of Thursday morning.

Magudumana appeared in court hours later. She faces charges of aiding and abetting an escapee, murder, violation of bodies and fraud.

To date, the people arrested over Bester's escape also include Magadumana's father, Zolile Cornelius Sikelele, former G4S employee Senohe Ishmael Matsoara and Integritron CCTV technician Tebogo James Lipholo.

IOL