By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (Popcru) has welcomed the re-arrest of escaped fugitive Thabo Bester in Tanzania.
Bester was arrested in the city of Arusha near the Kenyan border on Friday night along with his girlfriend, Dr Nandipha Magudumana, and a Mozambican national who has since been identified as Zacharia Alberto.
Popcru’s spokesperson Richard Mamabolo says further investigations must continue into how Bester escaped from prison.
“His rearrest will obviously settle a number of questions,” says Mamabolo.
“Investigations should be focused on how he got out of jail and who his accomplices were. We need to also look into our border control systems as well since he was caught outside our country.”
Bester escaped from the Mangaung Correctional Centre in Bloemfontein in May 2022 after it was initially believed he had committed suicide by setting himself alight in his cell.
However, the Department of Correctional Services (DCS), which originally declared him dead, confirmed that the charred body found in his cell was not that of Bester who was convicted in 2012.
Bester had in fact been alive and at large for the last nine months.
Police have since registered a case of murder, which is currently under investigation.
According to the autopsy report, the deceased had died as a result of blunt force trauma to the head, therefore, was already dead prior to the arson incident.
A case of escape from lawful custody was also registered with the police.
Justice and Correctional Service Minister, Ronald Lamola, said a South African delegation consisting of the Department of Justice and police officials will depart for the East African country on Sunday.
“They will be received and assisted by the office of the high commissioner in Tanzania who is representing South Africa. We are confident that we will receive maximum cooperation from our sister nation to assist us to bring these fugitives to justice and also serve their sentence, particularly the gentleman, Thabo Bester.”
“The level of cooperation we have received thus far from the Tanzanian authorities has been exemplary before and after the arrest,” the minister said.
Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco) spokesperson Clayson Monyela on Saturday said there was no need for an extradition process to get the fugitives back, as they had entered the country illegally, in which case immigration laws applies.