National police commissioner General Fannie Masemola has rubbished claims made by convicted serial rapist and murderer Thabo Bester that items and cash worth R30 million have gone missing. Bester made the claims on Tuesday when he appeared at the Bloemfontein Magistrate Court with his ten co-accused. He appeared in court physically for the first time since his deportation from Tanzania in April. 

The court heard that R30 million worth of money and luxury goods went missing when he was arrested in Tanzania. However, Masemola insists that SAPS is only in possession of Bester's two cellphones and a laptop which were confiscated from him and his lover Dr Nandipha Magudumana at Lanseria Airport in Gauteng when they landed. "On arrival at Lanseria Airport, police confiscated two cellphones and a laptop. That's what we know and what we are aware of. That was the only property that was given to us by the Department of Home Affairs on Bester's arrival at Lanseria," Masemola said this during a police raid in Johannesburg CBD on Saturday where the police confiscated illegal cigarettes and counterfeit goods.

Masemola added that Bester paid a lawyer in Tanzania with watches and he can go and ask in Tanzania what happened to the rest of his belongings. "We don't know about the cash. Maybe he can go and ask in Tanzania. We are only aware of one laptop, and two cellphones that are currently in our stores," he said. Masemola added that the police delegation that was sent to Tanzania was made aware by authorities that side that Bester had used his timepieces as lawyer's fees. "We don't know how many, but we are aware that he paid a lawyer with watches. If he had cash on him, how would he then pay for a lawyer for consultation with watches instead of paying? We don't know about the cash. Maybe he can go and ask in Tanzania, I don't know, but we are only aware of one laptop and two cellphones that are currently in our stores, as we always keep the property for those that are detained, "said. 

A total of nine accused involved in the Thabo Bester escape saga have been granted bail while Nandipha and her driver and gardener Zanda Moyo are still behind bars. Moyo abandoned his bail bid in June while Nandipha tried to have the court declare her arrest illegal. The case was postponed to 11 October for further investigations.