News Desk Reporter
The trial of convicted rapist and murderer Thabo Bester and his co-accused has been pushed back to next year.
Bester and Dr Nandipha Magudumana appeared virtually in the Free State High Court in Bloemfontein during today’s hearing, while the other accused were present in court with their legal representatives.
The matter was before Judge Mareena Opperman for a pre-trial hearing, with the court setting 19 April to 18 June 2027 as the new trial dates.
The latest postponement follows several outstanding legal issues that must be resolved before the trial can begin.
The case centres on Bester’s alleged escape from Mangaung Correctional Centre in May 2022, while he was serving a life sentence for rape and murder.
A fire was started in his prison cell, and a charred body was found inside. The State alleges that the body was used to make authorities believe Bester had died in the blaze.
Bester was later found alive after being on the run for almost a year. He and Magudumana were arrested in Tanzania in April 2023 before being brought back to South Africa.
Magudumana and several other people are accused of helping Bester carry out the escape and evade authorities.
The accused face several charges linked to the alleged prison break, including escaping from lawful custody, aiding and abetting an escape, corruption, arson, fraud and violating a corpse.
The case has faced a series of delays as the State and defence teams work through various legal challenges and outstanding matters.
Bester’s legal team has previously raised concerns about consulting with him following his transfer to the eBongweni Super Maximum Correctional Facility in KwaZulu-Natal.
His lawyers have argued that the transfer has made consultations more difficult and has affected preparations for the trial.
Today’s hearing was part of the pre-trial process to address the outstanding issues before the matter proceeds to trial.
The court has now set the new trial period for April and June next year.
The accused who are out on bail have also been warned about the importance of attending the proceedings when the trial begins.
The case has attracted significant public attention since Bester’s escape exposed questions about security and possible assistance from people inside and outside Mangaung Correctional Centre.
The State and defence teams will now continue preparing for the trial, which is scheduled to run from 19 April to 18 June 2027.