Lawyers for convicted killer and rapist Thabo Bester tried to speed up his escape case in the Bloemfontein Magistrates Court.
Bester made a court appearance on Friday for the first time since his brazen escape from the Mangaung Maximum Security Prison in May 2022.
The murderer and his co-accused, Dr Nandipha Magudumana, were deported to South Africa on a chartered flight during the week, following their arrest in Tanzania days prior.
Apart from the pair, three other people, including Magudumana’s father, appeared in court in the week on charges linked to helping Bester escape.
When state prosecutor Sello Matlhoko told the court that there was no need for Bester to return to court with his co-accused on Monday, because he is not applying for bail, his attorney, Marvin Carpede objected to this, saying he too, like all other accused, deserves a speedy trial.
Bester’s lawyers tried to dissuade the court from postponing Bester’s next appearance to May, as was requested by the state, citing safety concerns.
But the National Prosecuting Authority’s (NPA) Phaladi Shuping said this did not make any sense.
“We fail to understand why they are saying they [don’t want] a postponement whereas they are complaining of the safety and security of the same person because if he comes to court on regular days like every week or every second week, that’s a security risk. Hence, we make a request that the matter be postponed at least for a month.”
The state said when Bester returns to court in a month’s time, it is unlikely that police investigations will be completed.
-EWN
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