Johannesburg - The Department of Correctional Services (DCS) said no stone would be left unturned in getting to the bottom of ‘Facebook rapist’ Thabo Bester’s escape.
DCS emphasised that there would be serious consequences for any party involved,
The department was left with an egg on its face after failing to notice that Bester had escaped the facility on May 3, 2022.
Various media houses, including The Star, uncovered the scandal recently, and they approached the department.
Bester is reported to have had a livestream in prison and later faked his death before he was spotted in Sandton living his best life and in the company of a well-known celebrity doctor.
This weekend, DCS told the media that it received a report from Mangaung Correctional Centre, a public-private partnership (PPP) facility contracted to Bloemfontein Correctional Contracts and operated by G4S, indicating that offender Bester committed suicide by setting himself alight in his cell.
This incident attracted media attention, and it was confirmed to various media houses as received from G4S.
Recorded as an unnatural death, the Standard Operating Procedures dictated that an investigation be launched and the incident be reported to the SAPS.
Department spokesperson Singabakho Nxumalo said in line with the concession contract, two officials from the DCS were appointed by the Controller (an official of the DCS) to conduct an investigation into the incident.
“DCS is now in a position to bring forth the findings of its investigation on Bester, an offender sentenced to life and 75 years imprisonment, running concurrently. It has to be stated that this statement only provides an account from DCS as SAPS is still seized with the matter and conducting its own investigation,” said Nxumalo.
He further said: “A post-mortem conducted on the body that burnt beyond recognition in Cell 35 at Mangaung Correctional Centre revealed that it was an adult male with blunt force trauma to his head. The post-mortem report further revealed that there were no signs of smoke inhalation in the body.”
Nxumalo said the report further uncovered that the pancreas and the spleen in the body were in the early stages of decomposition.
“Over and above that, the DNA sequencing with a person identified to be the mother of Bester failed to indicate a common ancestor, or a match.
“Based on the above, a plausible conclusion will mean that the said body referred to above is not that of Bester. This is the basis upon which the DCS investigation report concluded that Bester escaped from lawful custody on May 3, 2022,” he said.
Nxumalo said it was critical for Bester to be found.
“DCS is appealing to the public to assist with any investigation that may lead to the arrest of Bester,” Nxumalo said.
Build One South Africa leader Mmusi Maimane called for a new police minister.
“We need a new minister of police immediately! Bester held livestreams from prison, faked his death, and was living large in Sandton, and the government is now asking the public to help them catch him. They showed us drones on Monday. Use that technology to catch this murderer!” said Maimane.
A special task team is investigating the prison escape.
The Star