SA police still searching for convicted rapist and murderer Thabo Bester

Police in South Africa are still searching for convicted rapist and murderer Thabo Bester after DNA tests revealed that the charred body found in a Bloemfontein prison last year was not his.

Police Minister Bheki Cele briefed the media on the situation, stating that the police were working on the matter and finding some indications that the DNA did not confirm the identity of the person found dead in the cell.

Cele said, “It might be correct to say that somebody is out there. That’s why the police are investigating and trying to find that person.”

A prison warder who asked to remain anonymous claimed that on the day of the fire, Bester was suddenly moved to a single cell, and a body of a vagrant was brought into the cell while Bester was “allowed” to escape.

According to GroundUp, CCTV cameras captured people leaving the prison hastily in the early hours on the day of the fire, raising further doubts about the circumstances surrounding Bester’s alleged death.

A man closely resembling Bester was also allegedly spotted shopping in Sandton and linked to high-profile aesthetics doctor Nandipha Magudumana.

Bester was first convicted of raping and robbing two models whom he had approached, pretending to be a model scout. In a separate trial, he was convicted of robbing and murdering a third woman, Nomfundo Tyhulu.

He was 22 and 23 when he committed the crimes and was sentenced to more than 50 years imprisonment, later reduced to 30 years, and to life for Tyhulu’s murder.

The investigation into Bester’s death is ongoing.