Convicted murderer and rapist Thabo Bester has asked the Pretoria High Court for access to a laptop and modem to help him prepare for his trial in February 2025.
Bester, along with his girlfriend, Dr Nandipha Magudumana, is accused of escaping from the Mangaung Correctional Centre in 2022.
After fleeing to Tanzania, he and Magudumana were arrested and returned to South Africa. Bester had been serving a life sentence at the time of his escape.
Now held in the maximum-security section of Kgosi Mampuru prison, Bester said he’s struggling to prepare his defence.
He claimed that while other prisoners can use laptops for their studies, he’s been denied the same access.
He also said his legal team faced difficulties meeting him due to strict prison rules, with only two 30-minute visits per month, which he said wasn’t enough time to prepare properly for his case.
Bester’s request comes after he decided to represent himself in court.
He has criticised the handling of his case, claiming: “I never got a fair trial. I was forced to plead guilty, and important documents have been missing for years.”
He also suggested that state security issues linked to his case have been manipulated to silence him.
The court will soon decide whether to grant Bester’s request for a laptop and modem as he prepares for the upcoming trial.
Compiled by Staff Writer
Pictured above: Thabo Bester.
Source: File
