One of South Africa's most-wanted criminals, Thabo Bester, a convicted rapist, has been deported from Tanzania following his arrest in the East African state last week, the media has revealed.
According to reports, Bester was sent to South Africa on a specially chartered plane. His accomplices, including his girlfriend Nandipha Magudumana and her father Zolile Sekeleni, have been charged as accomplices in his jailbreak. Magudumana was arrested along with the fugitive and also deported to South Africa.
The South African convicted rapist and murderer was at large for almost a year after police believed that he had died by setting himself on fire in his prison cell at the Mangaung Correctional Center, in Bloemfontein, South Africa, in May 2022. However, DNA tests conducted in March this year revealed that the remains found in his cell belonged to another person. Following these new post-mortem investigation findings, a manhunt was launched.
Earlier this week, the suspended prison warden Senohe Matsoara and Zolile Sekeleni appeared in court in Bloemfontein. They were accused of carrying out a murder, arson and aiding the subsequent escape of the prisoner. Another two people were arrested in connection with the Bester case, but they haven't been officially charged yet.
Bester himself was taken to a high-security prison in Pretoria, and is expected to face new charges over his jailbreak. His girlfriend will also be charged with murder, fraud and helping Bester escape.
Also known as the "Facebook rapist", Bester was sentenced to life in prison in 2012 for rape, robbery and murder. He allegedly lured female victims on the social media platform, pretending that he ran a media business, before assaulting them.