The bail application of the five people accused of assisting the convicted murderer and rapist Thabo Bester to escape from prison, will continue in the Bloemfontein Magistrates’ Court in the Free State on Friday.
The sixth accused Bester’s girlfriend, Dr Nandipha Magudumana, is the only one who has abandoned her bail application and will be back in court on Tuesday next week.
A state witness claimed that one of the accused Senohe Matsoara had travelled to Lesotho eight times between October and November 2022.
Legal expert Thabo Molete says it is Magudumana’s right to opt not to apply for bail.
Her legal representative Advocate Frans Dlamini says there’s crucial evidence that needs to be looked at and that they also want to exhaust other avenues.
Magudumana is facing charges of aiding and abetting Bester.
This is the second time she and her five co-accused appear for formal bail application.
Dlamini submits that they want the bail application issue for Magudumana to be rolled to May 16 when all accused including Bester will appear in court.
No live recording
The Acting Chief Magistrate, Lindiwe Mbasa says that on the days of the hearing of the formal bail applications, no live recording of the proceedings shall be permitted.
This includes the testimony of witnesses called, the testimony of accused persons and the respective cross-examination that will follow.
She says that although broadcasting of the live proceedings is not allowed, recording of the proceedings can be played at a later stage while protecting the witnesses.
VIDEO: Thursday’s court proceedings:
