Convicted killer and rapist Thabo Bester is expected back in the Bloemfontein High Court on Wednesday morning to give an update on his legal representation.
Bester, his main accomplice Dr Nandipha Magudumana, and seven others, including her father, are being tried for a brazen escape from the Mangaung Correctional Facility over two years ago.
Bester and Magudumana were caught while on the run in Tanzania in 2023.
When Bester made an appearance in the Bloemfontein High Court in June, he had an emotional outburst while addressing Free State Judge President Cagney Musi on his living conditions at the Kgosi Mampuru C-Max Prison where he is being held.
“I wake up at 2am. I have been having chains on my feet. My feet are ice, at this point. I can barely feel my toes.”
Bester’s third set of lawyers withdrew from the case, citing difficulties in consulting with him while they are based in Bloemfontein.
But during his rant, he told the court that he was deprived of his right to legal representation.
“You will find the best attorney, but they will refuse [the] brief. It’s not a matter of funds. It’s a matter of association and it’s not fair. It means that I am not equal in this court,” said Bester at the time.
While pre-trial proceedings were halted in June, the court has given Bester until Wednesday to secure a lawyer and consult with them so that a trial date can be set.
-EWN
In other news – It ended in tears: Cindy Makhathini and DJ Felo Le Tee break up
Popular South African club host and ‘slay queen’, Cindy Makhathini has opened up about her split from her DJ Felo Le Tee. The social media influencer and club host who went public about their relationship when posting pictures of them loved up together, confirmed she is a single woman.
In an emotional Instagram Live video Cindy revealed they had been broken up for a month, vowed never to date “industry boys” again, and spoke about what led to their breakup. Read More
