Kelvin Bowoto
The Johannesburg High Court has granted Showmax permission to broadcast the contentious “Tracking Thabo Bester” documentary.
The four-part documentary chronicles the narrative of Bester, who was sentenced to life in prison for murder and a series of rapes in 2012. Bester enticed women with Facebook ads promising international modeling jobs.
Thabo Bester and Nandipha Magudumana have petitioned the court to prohibit the documentary from broadcasting because it could have an impact on an existing court case involving his prison escape in 2022. They contended that several of the documentary participants are witnesses in their legal case.
Showmax stated that giving in to the co-accused’s demands would violate South Africans’ constitutional rights to knowledge. Showmax also claimed that the information in the documentary was already in the public domain.
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Judge Wilson issued the decision, stating that Bester and Magundana had not provided a compelling enough case to prevent the documentary from airing. “There is no basis that I can recognize upon which [Bester & Magundana]’s relief can be granted; hence, the application is dismissed,” the judge said.
Bester escaped prison in 2022 by faking his death with the help of his lover, Nandipha Magudumana. The latter is accused of assisting and abetting the escape. In May 2022, prison officials said that Bester died in his cell as a result of injuries sustained during a fire that broke out in his cell. A burnt body was discovered in the cell, which eventually turned out not to be the best.
Bester was caught in Tanzania in April 2023 after a manhunt. Magudana, who is believed to have discovered the body burned in Bester’s cell during his escape, was captured with him and has been detained since.
Techrectory with Agency Report.
