Defence wants court to prioritise Bester’s application about his conditions of imprisonment
Advocate Lerato Moela said should Thabo Bester’s application lag, there may not be a Bester to speak of.
Convicted killer and rapist Thabo Bester in the Bloemfontein High Court on 24 July 2024. Picture: Katlego Jiyane/Eyewitness News
BLOEMFONTEIN - Convicted murderer and rapist Thabo Bester's new lawyer has warned that his client may be mentally compromised if an application about his living conditions in prison is not heard expeditiously.
Bester appeared in the Bloemfontein High Court on Wednesday for pre-trial proceedings.
His accomplice, Dr Nandipha Magudumana, and seven others are facing charges that include fraud, money laundering, tampering with a corpse and aiding a prisoner escape.
Bester escaped from the Mangaung Correctional Centre two years ago before he allegedly fled to Tanzania, where he was caught with Magudumana.
Bester is on his sixth lawyer since his case started.
Advocate Lerato Moela came to court prepared with the application addressing Bester's living conditions in prison.
He wants it to be prioritised before the case moves any further, but Judge Cagney Musi dismissed this.
“The people I am told you have cited are not before me yet. I am told the Department of Correctional Services, minister of police, and the commissioner are also cited, but I do not even know whether the papers are served. Let us wait.”
During his court appearance in July, Bester had an emotional outburst where he ranted about his treatment at the Kgosi Mampuru C-Max Prison, where he is being held.
Moela said if Bester’s application, which also addresses the conditions of his detention, is not prioritised, there may not be a Bester to speak of.