Police say a murder case has been opened after it emerged that the so-called “Facebook Rapist” Thabo Bester may have killed someone during a prison break.
At the weekend, an investigation by the Department of Correctional Services revealed that the charred body found after the fire broke out in the Free State prison Mangaung was not that of convicted murderer and rapist Thabo Bester.
Homicide investigation
National police spokesperson Athlenda Mathe said a case of murder had been registered after the department revealed the body found in a gutted cell at Mangaung prison was not Bester’s and did not match the DNA believed to be his mother.
“After the DNA analysis results confirmed that the body of the deceased found was not that of Thabo Bester. The autopsy report then further showed that the deceased had died from blunt trauma to the head, and had died, before the arson incident.
“A case of escape from lawful custody has also been registered with the confirmation by the Department of Corrections (DCS) that Thabo Bester is not in custody. It is possible that more charges cannot be dismissed as the investigation is ongoing,” said Mathe.
Prison break
The department confirmed that all the evidence indicates that Bester, also known as the “Facebook rapist”, escaped from jail on May 3, 2022.
A manhunt has been launched to find a fugitive serving life sentences for murder and rape at a maximum security prison operated by security firm G4S.
The department initially said Bester died after his jail cell caught fire.
Also read: Government insists ‘Facebook rape’ Thabo Bester did not die in prison fire
Police want help and understanding
Meanwhile, national police commissioner General Fannie Masemola has appealed to the public to be patient while investigating Bester’s wrongdoing.
“Putting undue pressure on the investigatorsand demanding an update on the explosion at this stage has the potential to jeopardize the investigation.
“It should also be noted that the leak of sensitive and confidential information to the media house is being investigated by the authorities. For this purpose, a hunt has been launched for all those who have an interest in this case,” said Masemola.
Additional report by Getrude Makhafola
Also read: Thabo Bester: Police Commissioner to investigate media leaks