Convicted murderer and rapist Thabo Bester, currently imprisoned in Pretoria following his dramatic escape from the Mangaung Correctional Centre last year and subsequent deportation from Tanzania in April 2023, has been embroiled in a new scandal, this time involving alleged financial fraud committed while he was incarcerated.
Bester's recent attempts to gain access to a laptop and the internet in court have raised serious concerns about his past activities. Sources close to the investigation into his escape revealed that Bester had been using electronic devices to swindle people out of millions of rands while behind bars.
Last week, Bester made an urgent application for access to a laptop and the internet on the grounds that he needed them to work on his legal resources for the upcoming deportation case from Tanzania, which he claimed had been unlawful and unconstitutional.
The Pretoria High Court agreed to give him access to physical legal resources, but not to electronic material. The matter was then struck off the court roll due to lack of urgency.
The court's decision was met with relief by law enforcement and correctional services officials, who feared the consequences of granting Bester access to the internet. "Being in possession of a laptop and cellphone allowed him to access the internet and swindle people while he was serving his term at the Mangaung prison," said one insider, highlighting the potential risk posed by Bester's access to technology.
The investigation into Bester's escape has uncovered a complex web of financial transactions, with millions of rands flowing through various business accounts linked to him. A special task team formed to investigate the escape froze several bank accounts containing millions of rands, including those belonging to Arum Holding, a company registered under Bester's girlfriend and co-accused in the escape case, Nandipha Magudumana.
Police sources revealed that Arum Holding, along with other company accounts, had processed transactions exceeding R4 billion. However, investigations revealed that the accounts held minimal funds, with substantial amounts being transferred to other business and personal accounts within minutes of being deposited.
"We did a reconciliation investigation on the amounts that came in and out of Arum Holding and the other company business accounts; to our surprise, no substantial amount was kept in the account," said one source.
"There were transfers that were made to the account which amounted to more than R10 million."
The police are currently tracing the flow of funds and verifying the ownership of the various accounts involved. Investigations have already identified several victims, including celebrity doctor Mmereka "Pashy" Ntshani, who was allegedly swindled out of over R18 million. Other victims have requested anonymity, but the financial losses they have suffered are significant.
The investigation has also uncovered a network of companies allegedly linked to Bester and Magudumana, including Vibes Africa Incorporated International, which sources claim is owned by Magudumana. Another company, registered under the name Bela Nkoana, is believed to be a false identity created by Bester, who was known to use the alias TK Nkoana.
According to the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission profile, Arum Holding is registered under Bester’s girlfriend and co-accused in the escape case, Nandipha Magudumana. The company profile indicates that she registered the company on 24 July 2017 and was listed as the sole director who is still active. The company has a business address in Willow Park in Edenvale, Johannesburg.
The source said another company whose account had been frozen had been known as Vibes Africa Incorporated International. Four other companies had been registered under a woman called Bela Nkoana from Pretoria. The source said Vibes Africa Incorporated International was allegedly owned by Magudumana, but City Press could not verify this or when the company had been registered.
According to the source, “Nkoana” was a false surname linked to Bester’s other forged name of TK Nkoana, who was known to be a top businessperson based in the US.
Beyond the financial transactions, police are also pursuing the recovery of luxury vehicles purchased by Bester for his girlfriends. These include a Bentley purchased for a girlfriend in Cape Town and a Porsche SUV allegedly delivered in KwaZulu-Natal. All these vehicles were reportedly bought with cash.
The investigation into Bester's financial activities is ongoing, with authorities facing a complex task of untangling the intricate network of companies, accounts, and individuals involved. The case is expected to take considerable time to resolve, given the vast scope of the investigation and the potential for further revelations.
