Pretoria - Convicted murderer and rapist Thabo Bester’s safety should be prioritised as he can spill the beans about how and reveal who assisted him to “walk out” of the G4S-run Mangaung Correctional Centre.
Police believe Bester escaped from the facility with the assistance of a former G4S employee, Senohe Ishmael Matsoara and Dr Nandipha Magudumana’s father, Zolile Cornelius Sekeleni.
Police have said more arrests are expected following the capture of Magudumana and Bester, who were arrested by Interpol and Tanzanian authorities on Friday.
Crime expert Professor Kholofelo Rakubu, who was speaking to eNCA on Tuesday, said Bester was key and must be kept safe.
“He needs to be safe because this saga involves many people, and should he depart, we are going to lose what really transpired... He must come back safe and South Africa should know how it started, who opened how many gates and when,’’ she said.
According to Rakubu, Bester didn’t escape from prison, but he walked out aided by prison officials.
“Thabo walked out, Thabo didn’t escape, because there are people mandated to make sure that gates are locked...
“How many gates was he suppose to pass before he could escape? Where did he break out for us to say he escaped? It’s a walkout,” Rakubu told the broadcaster.
Rakubu added that Bester could have “walked out” of prison long before May 2022.
“Thabo might have been out way before... It’s just that now they need to come up with concrete stories. That’s why G4S cannot tell us what really happened,” she said.
Meanwhile, Sekeleni and Matsoara, who allegedly helped Bester escape from the Bloem prison, have been charged with murder of the man who was found burnt in Cell 35 at the facility.
The man had initially been said to be Bester, but correctional services have since confirmed the deceased was not Bester.
The two suspects have also been charged with murder, arson, fraud and defeating the ends of justice over Bester’s May 2022 escape from the prison facility.
It is understood the charges of murder relate to the death of the unknown man who was allegedly murdered and placed in Cell 35 at the G4S operated prison facility in Bloemfontein.
Police had initially charged both suspects with aiding and abetting a convicted prisoner to escape from lawful custody.
The charges were added after Matsoara and Sekeleni, made their first appearance in the Bloemfontein Magistrate's Court on Tuesday.
Matsoara was arrested on Saturday in Bloemfontein, while Sekeleni was arrested on Friday in Port Edward.
Their matter was postponed to April 17 for a bail application.
Meanwhile, Bester and his fugitive girlfriend were also arrested in Arusha, Tanzania, on Friday night.
Magudumana and Bester are expected to be deported back to South Africa this week.
IOL