– Edited by Bev Mortimer – Investigations following the escape of Thabo Bester from prison, have resulted in the arrest of a 39 year-old former G4S employee and a 65 year-old man from Port Edward by the South African police service.
The SAPS announced today that the suspects have been charged with aiding and abetting a convicted prisoner to escape from lawful custody. The National Commissioner of the SAPS, General Fannie Masemola, has welcomed the latest arrests and confirmed that the possibility of more arrests could not be ruled out.
Photo: of Thabo Bester
A multi-disciplinary SAPS team investigating Bester’s escape from the Mangaung Correctional Centre arrested the duo over the Easter weekend. The former security employee was arrested at his residence in Bloemfontein on 8 April and the older man was arrested on 7 April at his home in Port Edward.
The arrested men are expected to appear before the Bloemfontein Magistrate’s Court tomorrow, 11 April 2023, following their arrest
And in related news, the delegation led by the SAPS’ Deputy National Commissioner responsible for Policing, Lieutenant General Tebello Mosikili, has arrived in Arusha, Tanzania. The team is currently engaged with Tanzanian counterparts to finalise all legal processes required towards bringing escapee Thabo Bester and his accomplices to justice in South Africa.
General Masemola has again reiterated the appeal to media and the public to exercise patience and allow the investigators the space to conduct the investigations with no undue pressure and expectation.
St Francis Chronicle 