Pretoria – Thabo Bester’s fugitive girlfriend Dr Nandipha Magudumana was on Monday ordered to show her face in the Bloemfontein Magistrate’s Court, where she is appearing on charges including murder and helping her convict boyfriend escape from lawful custody.
Magudumana had again appeared in court sporting a surgical mask and hoodie in a bid to conceal her face from the scores of cameras in the courtroom.
In a bid to verify the identity of the suspect appearing in court, State prosecutor Sello Matlhoko asked celebrity Magudumana to show her face as she has been consistently covering her head and face with a hoodie and mask.
Magudumana made her second appearance alongside her three co-accused, which include her own father, at the Bloemfontein Magistrate’s Court on Monday.
“The court itself must be satisfied with the identity... We might find that’s not the person. But the court needs to be satisfied that it is indeed the person being charged,” said Matlhoko.
The accused’s legal representative argued that it was not necessary as Magudumana’s identity has been confirmed by the State.
However, magistrate Motlholo Khabisi ordered Magudumana to show her face.
She took off the mask and lifted the hoodie briefly.
Khabisi said he was not satisfied as she had not fully shown her face, then she showed her face briefly and covered it again with the surgical mask.
A video is available at the end of this story.
Magudumana faces charges of aiding and abetting a fugitive, murder, violation of bodies and fraud.
She made her second appearance on Monday alongside her father, Zolile Sekeleni, and former G4S employee Senohe Matsoara, and Tebogo Lipholo, the Integriton CCTV operator accused of tampering with security cameras on the night of Bester’s escape.
Sekeleni was granted R10 000 bail and a murder charge against was also withdrawn.
He will return to the Bloemfontein Magistrate’s Court on May 16.
As Sekeleni was walking down to the holding cell, his family was standing on the side and told him that they would see him in the car.
They then turned to Magudumana and told her to be strong, they love her and will see her soon.
Meanwhile, the prosecutor told the magistrate that the State intends to oppose bail bids for Magudumana, Lipholo and Matsoara.
Their matter has been postponed to May 3 and 4 for their bail application.
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