According to sources, Dr Nandipha Magudumana, the alleged partner of fugitive Thabo Bester, reportedly took three unidentified bodies from mortuaries in the Free State weeks before Bester’s successful prison break. These bodies were obtained unlawfully over a period of several weeks.
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As stated by TimesLive, reports suggest that two of the bodies were intended for Bester’s previous unsuccessful prison escape attempts at the Mangaung maximum security prison. The identity of the third body used as a decoy during Bester’s successful escape on 3 May last year remains unknown.
The illegal acquisition of these bodies has raised questions about the involvement of Dr Magudumana in Bester’s prison break.
Investigations are ongoing to determine the circumstances surrounding the illegal procurement of the bodies and the extent of Magudumana’s involvement in Bester’s escape plan.
Dr Nandipha Magudumana allegedly claimed that one of the bodies she secured from a mortuary was that of her father. However, a week later, the body was found dumped in a river, with the mortuary’s identification toe tag still attached.
Further investigation revealed that Magudumana’s father is alive, as confirmed in an interview he gave to eNCA last month. The circumstances surrounding the acquisition and disposal of the body are yet to be fully established.
The couple, who had been on the run after their R12 million hideout in Hyde Park was exposed, were arrested in Tanzania on Friday night.
The police have recently declined to provide any comments on the matter; however, reliable sources have disclosed that Dr Nandipha Magudumana is currently under investigation for the alleged theft of two bodies.
According to these sources, the bodies were taken from two different mortuaries in early April, one from the Mangaung state mortuary and the other from a private mortuary.
The police investigation is examining how Magudumana was able to obtain the body that was set alight in Bester’s cell as part of his escape strategy. This body was burned beyond recognition, making identification impossible.
The investigation aims to determine whether Magudumana was involved in the procurement of the body and, if so, what her motives were.
Despite several red flags raised during the autopsy of the body, including the absence of smoke inhalation, advanced decomposition, and blunt force trauma as the cause of death, Dr Nandipha Magudumana was permitted to take possession of the body, which she later cremated.
Bester’s escape was executed while he was dressed as a warder, with the body smuggled into the prison and kept in the centre’s kitchen for two days before being placed in his cell and set on fire.
One crucial element of Bester’s escape plan was to be moved to solitary confinement. This is the area where prisoners are held when they are deemed a threat to other inmates or when their lives are in danger. However, on at least one occasion, Bester’s request to be moved to solitary confinement, citing threats, was denied.
It is speculated that the initial bodies obtained for the escape may have been discarded for this reason. The investigation into the matter is still ongoing, and further details are expected to be revealed.
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Evidence suggests burned man in Bester’s cell was killed for escape plan
Picture: Lisa Nelson