Magistrate Motlholo Khabisi has granted Dr Nandipha Magudumana's father Zolile Sekeleni R10 000 bail at the Bloemfontein Magistrates Court early today. Sekeleni appeared alongside his daughter and two other accused facing a number of charges including aiding and abetting the escape of rapist and murderer Thabo Bester in May 2022.  

CO-ACCUSED

Sekeleni was arrested in his hometown of Port Edward on Good Friday, the same day his daughter and her fugitive lover Bester were caught in Arusha Tanzania. Dr Nandipha, her other co-accused former G4S prison guard Senohe Matsoara, and former Integritron Integrated Solutions technician, Teboho Lipholo were remanded in custody for further investigation until May.

DR NANDIPHA ASKED TO UNCOVER HER FACE

State prosecutor asked the court to order Nandipha to reveal her face to make sure they had the right person in the dock. She wore light grey hooded jacket and a huge mask that covered her whole face which made it difficult to confirm if it was really her. Dr Nandipha and the other accused will remain in police custody until their next court appearance between the 3rd and 4th of May for formal bail application.

CHARGES  

The charges Dr Nandipha will be facing include aiding and abetting the escape of Thabo Bester. She will also be facing murder for a number of bodies she claimed from government mortuaries in Free State, violation of bodies and fraud. Free State National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Phaladi Shuping said the suspects who appeared in court today are likely to join Bester in the dock when he makes his second appearance in a month's time. "The request was that his case be postponed to 16 May. We are hoping that as soon as we sort out the bail application for these four accused, we will also make a request that this matter be postponed to 16 May so that ll five of them can appear in court together,' said Shuping. Shuping added that Dipholo charges includes,  aiding and abetting a convicted prisoner to escape from lawful custody, defeating the ends of justice and violation of a corpse while Sekeleni was initially charged with murder, assisting a convicted individual to escape from custody, fraud, and harbouring an escaped convict. Supeng said the state decided to remove the charge of murder.