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Murder

Thabo Bester's Shocking Escape from Mangaung Correctional Centre

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Thabo Bester, also known as the "Facebook rapist," has escaped from the high-security Mangaung Correctional Centre, where he was serving a life sentence for rape and murder. The prison break has stunned the country, with reports suggesting that Bester was assisted by prison officials and has been living a life of luxury since his alleged death in 2022. An investigation into the incident is ongoing, with the Department of Correctional Services confirming that Bester's body was not found in the cell where he was supposed to have died.

Key Takeaways:

  • Thabo Bester, the "Facebook rapist," escaped from the high-security Mangaung Correctional Centre, where he was serving a life sentence for rape and murder.
  • Bester was found guilty of murder and two charges of rape, and was said to have died in a prison cell on May 3, 2022, but has since been spotted living in the lap of luxury.
  • A prison warder at Mangaung Correctional Centre reported that officials had assisted Bester in escaping, but their claims were dismissed by the Department of Correctional Services.
  • Bester had been running a multi-million rand scam business while incarcerated, using aliases and fake identities to convince people that he was related to prominent businesspeople.
  • Companies registered by Thenga, a company linked to Bester, include UBS Group, United Talent Agency, and Black Phoenix Digital, which are all major international brands.
  • The Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (Popcru) has questioned the escape, suggesting that it shows management of the correctional center tried to "brush the matter under the carpet."
  • A coroner's report found that the body in the cell had blunt force trauma and was not Bester's.
  • The postmortem report revealed no signs of smoke inhalation, and there were signs of decomposition of the pancreas and the spleen.

Statistics:

  • Bester was serving a life sentence for rape and murder.
  • He was found guilty of two charges of rape and murder.
  • The prison break occurred in 2022.
  • The body in the cell was not identified as Bester's.
  • The postmortem report revealed no signs of smoke inhalation.
  • The pancreas and the spleen were in the early stages of decomposition.

Sources:

  • Correctional Services Department
  • Dispatch Live
  • News24
  • Ground Up
  • Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (Popcru)

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