Courts & Legal
Thabo Bester lashes out in court, says escape is only an allegation
Convicted murderer and so-called Facebook rapist Thabo Bester is once again making headlines, this time for a fiery court appearance where he insisted that his dramatic prison escape remains nothing more than an allegation.
Appearing virtually before the Free State High Court on Thursday, Bester turned his attention away from the escape case itself and aimed his frustration squarely at the Department of Correctional Services. At the heart of his complaint was his recent transfer to the eBongweni Super Maximum Correctional Facility, a move he says is unjustified and rooted in his notoriety rather than proven conduct.
“I have never been convicted of escape”
Bester is currently serving a life sentence for the 2011 murder of his then-girlfriend, Nomfundo Thyulu. That conviction is not in dispute. What he disputes loudly is being treated as a high-risk inmate on the basis of an escape charge that has not yet been tested in court.
Addressing the judge, Bester argued that he cannot legally be classified as a security threat on the strength of an allegation alone. He told the court that during his more than a decade in correctional facilities, there was no record of disciplinary infringements or misconduct that would justify the strict conditions of a supermax prison.
In his view, the department’s own files support his argument. He claimed they show no pattern of behaviour that suggests he poses an ongoing threat within the prison system.
A transfer that sparked another legal battle
The Department of Correctional Services confirmed last week that Bester had been moved to eBongweni, describing offender transfers as routine and guided by security risk assessments. Officials stressed that the move would not interfere with his legal rights, family contact, or access to medical care and legal representation.
From Bester’s perspective, the problem is not only the destination but also the way the decision was made. He told the court he was not informed before or after the transfer, calling the process irrational. According to him, earlier assurances were given that he would only be moved to a medium-security facility once his Bloemfontein trial had concluded.
That expectation, he said, was abruptly discarded without explanation.
“It’s a profile issue”
One of the more striking moments of Bester’s court rant was his claim that his surname has become his biggest liability. He suggested that the treatment he is receiving is driven by public attention and media scrutiny rather than genuine security concerns.
In a country still grappling with the embarrassment of his 2022 escape from the G4S-run Mangaung Correctional Centre, the argument is bound to divide opinion. On social media, reactions remain sharply split. Some users dismissed his claims as manipulative grandstanding, while others questioned whether due process is being followed when it comes to inmate classification and transfers.
[WATCH] #ThaboBester in the Free State high court virtually today.
"I have not been convicted of an escape. I can't be classified as high risk on an allegation."#eNCA pic.twitter.com/Pqgak5cL0H
— Silindelo Sebata (@Sli_Masikane) February 5, 2026
What happens next
Bester is facing a separate criminal trial for his escape, which shocked the country after authorities initially believed he had died in a cell fire. He and his co-accused, including Dr Nandipha Magudumana and her father, are back before the Bloemfontein High Court for pre-trial proceedings.
The escape matter has been postponed to 18 March 2026 for case management and will continue virtually. The full trial is expected to run from 20 July 2026 to 18 September 2026.
Until then, Bester appears determined to use every available legal platform to challenge how the state treats him, insisting that allegations should not carry the same weight as convictions, even when his name is one of the most notorious in South African criminal history.
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Source: The Citizen
Featured Image: News24
