By Kopano Dibakwane
Dr Nandipha Magudumana, her father (Zolile Sekeleni)and two other co-accused, Senohe Matsoara and James Dipholo, made their second appearance before the Bloemfontein magistrate’s court on Monday.
The four are linked to the alleged dramatic escape of convicted “Facebook” rapist and murderer Thabo Bester from Mangaung correctional centre in May 2022.
They face charges of murder, violation of a corpse, aiding the escape of a prisoner and fraud.
State lawyer, Sello Matlhoko, questioned Magudumana’s identity as she wore a N95 mask and tightly covered her face under a hoodie. Matlhoko requested that Magudumana reveal her face to the court to ensure that she is the same person named on the charge sheet. His request was granted by the magistrate and Magudumana revealed her face to the packed courtroom for the first time since her deportation from Tanzania last week.
” I request that during these short proceedings that we see her face. It can happen that we might find ourselves in a situation where we have the wrong person before court. I’m the prosecution and I haven’t seen her face,” said Matlhoko
It was revealed in court that accused number 3, Dipholo, was arrested in 2002 and subsequently convicted in 2007 for stock theft. He requested for the services of a legal aid lawyer as he didnt have his own legal representative.
Magudumana’s father, Sekeleni, was granted bail of R10 000, with strict conditions that he reports once a week at the Port Edward police station and that he may not leave the magisterial district without reporting to the police. His case was reduced to schedule 1 after the charge of murder was dropped.
The magistrate ordered Magudumana, Matsoara and Dipholo to remain in custody until they appear in court again on 3 and 4 May for a formal bail application.
