Fahmida Choonara | fchoonara@radioislam.co.za
28 March 2023 | 17:30 CAT
2 min read

Photo Credit: Times Live

For those unaware, Thabo Bester allegedly lured victims on the social media platform before raping and robbing them in 2012. He was then sentenced to life in prison. Besters’ escape from the Mangaung Correctional Centre has raised several questions about our country’s corruption within facilities.

Previous allegations were made that Bester had set himself alight in his prison cell and died. Nandipa Makudumana, a celebrity doctor, played a very suspicious part in the fire allegation as she tried to secure the body that burnt in the prison cell, claiming on the scene that she was Bester’s customary wife.

Chad Thomas Financial and organised crime investigator (IRS) stated on other sources that South African facilities need investigation; during Bester’s stay in “a maximum security” prison, he ran a multi-million rand business. It takes negligence of the highest degree to accomplish such.

Chad also mentions that it was a great cover to declare Bester as the burnt prisoner, knowing rightfully that the state would not go through the channels of requesting a DNA test to ensure it was Bester.

Prison gangs in South Africa have a torturous history of being in prison. Within the walls of prisons, there are daily favours of goods getting in or out, and these facilities cannot keep us safe against prisoners.

This headline is an intensive display of everything wrong with South Africa’s criminal justice system. Corruption and other violent crimes are extremely high, and we face a relentless onslaught from within.

Following the latest developments regarding Bester – the Facebook rapist, it is acknowledged that this isn’t something that could have happened without the involvement of inside authorities – for a successful prison escape, the support of prison officials, politicians, and police would be required.

Meanwhile, police have opened a case of murder for the inmate, who remains unknown after it was ascertained in an autopsy that he was killed by blunt force trauma to the head.

Police are still hunting for Bester.