Bester, co-accused return to court where decision on legal aid representation will be made
Last week, pretrial proceedings were stalled when the lawyer for two of the accused withdrew from the matter.
Convicted murderer and rapist Thabo Bester, and those who allegedly helped him escape, in the Bloemfontein High Court on 24 July 2024: former G4S employee Senohe Matsoara, Nandipha Magudumana's father Cornelius Sekeleni, G4S CCTV technician Teboho Dipholo, former G4S security guard Buti Masukela, and former G4S employee Teiho Frans Makhotsa. Picture: Katlego Jiyane/EWN
JOHANNESBURG - Convicted killer and rapist Thabo Bester and his eight co-accused will return to the Bloemfontein High Court on Wednesday, where a decision on legal aid representation will be made.
Last week, pretrial proceedings were stalled when the lawyer for two of the accused withdrew from the matter.
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Bester and his co-accused, including Nandipha Magudumana, are facing charges linked to Bester’s prison escape from the Mangaung prison over years ago.
They face over 30 counts of fraud, corruption, arson, violating a corpse, and aiding and abetting a prisoner escape - among others.
He was caught with Magudumana while on the run in Tanzania in 2023.
The man who allegedly received the most money from the Bester prison escape has told the Bloemfontein High Court that he cannot afford to pay for his legal fees.
The lawyer for former G4S guard Senohe Matsoara, who allegedly received payments of between R8,000 to almost half a million rand, told the court that he would be withdrawing from the matter as he had not been paid.
Kagiso Moruri was also representing the sixth accused, Tieho Makhotsa, who also cannot pay him.
On Wednesday, the court will establish whether the pair’s application for legal aid has been successful.
An update on Bester’s application on his right to legal representation is also expected to be heard.
Last week, Advocate Lerato Moela, who is Bester’s sixth lawyer since his re-arrest, warned that he may be legally compromised if his application is not heard expeditiously.