Court Rejects Nandipha Magudumana’s Bid to Challenge Arrest and Deportation

The Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) has dismissed an appeal by Dr. Nandipha Magudumana to have her arrest and deportation declared unlawful. The ruling, handed down on Friday morning, marks a legal setback for the disgraced celebrity doctor who faces a host of serious criminal charges alongside convicted rapist and murderer Thabo Bester.

Magudumana and Bester are facing 38 charges including fraud, corruption, arson, money laundering, and defeating the ends of justice. She was arrested in April 2023 with Bester in Tanzania after the pair fled South Africa following Bester’s elaborate prison escape from Mangaung Correctional Centre.

Magudumana originally approached the courts in 2023, arguing that her arrest and deportation were unconstitutional. However, her initial bid was rejected in June 2023. Friday’s ruling by the SCA upholds that earlier decision.

National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Mthunzi Mhaga welcomed the outcome, stating, “The NPA is committed to ensuring that justice is not only done but is seen to be done, because of the alleged crimes’ impact on the rule of law and the victims.”

The duo’s highly anticipated trial is scheduled to take place at the Bloemfontein High Court from 21 July to 19 September 2025. The case has drawn significant public attention due to its bizarre twists, including Bester faking his death to escape prison and Magudumana’s alleged role in facilitating his flight from justice.

As the legal process unfolds, the public and legal observers alike will be watching closely for what promises to be one of South Africa’s most gripping trials in recent history.

{Source: The Citizen}

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