Department of Correctional Services confirms that Thabo Bester is on the loose

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The Department of Correctional Services has finally confirmed the speculations that have been going around social media and the news about the supposed suicide by Facebook serial rapist Thabo Bester.

The Department released a statement confirming that the corpse found in the cell belonging to Bester was burned beyond recognition and it is not that of Bester.

Spokesperson Singabakho Nxumalo said that last year, they received a report from Mangaung Correctional Centre, a public-private partnership (PPP) facility contracted to Bloemfontein Correctional Contracts, operated by G4S, indicating that offender Thabo Bester committed suicide by setting himself alight in his cell in the early hours of the morning.”

“This incident attracted media attention and it was confirmed to various media houses as received from G4S. Recorded as an unnatural death, the Standard Operating Procedures dictated that an investigation be launched and the incident be reported to police.”

“In line with the concession contract, two officials from the DCS were appointed by the Controller (an official of DCS) to conduct an investigation into the incident.”

“DCS is now in a position to bring forth findings of its investigation on Thabo Bester, an offender sentenced to life and 75 years imprisonment, running concurrently. It has to be stated that this statement only provides an account from DCS, as SAPS is still seized with the matter and conducting its own investigation,” Nxumalo said.”

He also said that the body that was found in the said cell had signs of forced trauma to the head according to the post mortem report.

“The post mortem report further revealed that there were no signs of smoke inhalation in the body. Furthermore, it uncovered that the pancreas and the spleen in the body were in the early stages of decomposition. Over and above that, the DNA sequencing with a person identified to be the mother of Bester failed to indicate a common ancestor, or a match,”.

Having said that, they concluded that Bester is on the loose and his whereabouts are unknown.

“This is the basis upon which the DCS investigation report concluded that Bester escaped from lawful custody on May 3, 2022. Critical at this stage is for Thabo Bester to be found. DCS is appealing to the public to assist with any information that may lead to the re-arrest of Bester. Such information should be provided to the nearest police station or a correctional services facility,” the DCS said.

He started making rounds on Twitter after one user shared a picture of him in a grocery store in Sandton.