The Department of Correctional Services (DCS) has rubbished rumours circulating on social media Facebook Rapist and convicted murderer Thabo Bester has been returned to the Mangaung Correctional Centre where he escaped from.
Bester appeared in the Bloemfontein Magistrate’s Court on Friday, roughly 11 months after he escaped from the G4S-run facility in Free State.
DCS spokesperson Singabakho Nxumalo said: “The Department of Correctional Services has noted false information circulating in various platforms that offender Thabo Bester has been returned to Mangaung Correctional Centre. We can state that Bester was transported to Kgosi Mampuru II Correctional facility [in Pretoria].
“In addition, Department of Correctional Services can confirm that there is no complaint filed about threats to his life and that offender Bester is taking meals.”
Bester and his lover, Nandipha Magudumana, were arrested in Tanzania last week after they fled South Africa.
On Friday, Bester told the court he did not intend to apply for bail at this stage, but would later.
He faces charges of escaping, defeating the ends of justice, violation of a body and fraud.
Through his lawyer, Marvin Carpede, Bester told the court that he feared for his safety in jail and was unhappy with tronk kos. He also believed he would be poisoned.
But Bester failed to convince magistrate Mohlolo Kgabisi to allow special meals to be delivered to him innie mang.
Bester and Magudumana were brought back into South Africa on Thursday morning.
Magudumana appeared in court hours later on charges of aiding and abetting an escapee, murder, violation of bodies and fraud.
Others arrested over Bester’s escape include Magudumana’s father, Zolile Cornelius Sikelele, former G4S employee Senohe Ishmael Matsoara and Integritron CCTV technician Tebogo James Lipholo.
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