Lerato Mbhiza
Dr Nandipha Magudumana was denied bail in the Bloemfontein Magistrate Court on Monday because Magistrae Estelle de Lange said Magudumana played a huge role in the escape of her lover, Thabo Bester and can easily tamper with the evidence.
“The applicant is a flight risk and no bail conditions will assist. I find that she didn’t satisfy the court that she be released on bail,” De Lange said, handing down her judgment.
Magudumana applied for bail for the first time two weeks ago since her arrest in April together with her lover, convicted rapist and murderer, Bester, who faked his death at the Mangaung Correctional Centre and escaped in May last year.
Magudumana was allegedly a central figure in planning and coordinating Bester’s escape, the state describing her as a mastermind and she faces multiple charges of fraud, violating a body, corruption, assisting an inmate to escape, harbouring and concealing an escaped prisoner, and defeating the ends of justice.
The bail application was for a Schedule 5 offence charge, which meant it was the burden of the defence to show cause why she should be granted bail.
De Lange said Magudumana had access to the witness list, although she does not have access to the witness statements.
The court also submitted that Maguduman was the main role player in Bester’s escape from the Mangaung Correctional Centre and thus if she was released could access resources to attempt to have him break out again as he would be transported to and from court to prison.
De Lange said although Magudumana claimed she was taken across borders against her will by Bester, she has the knowledge of fleeing without being flagged as she and Bester managed to convince everyone to work with them and pass several border posts.
Magudumana will be back in court on the 11th of October 2023.
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