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A South African fugitive who faked his personal loss of life in a jail break that embarrassed authorities has been apprehended in Tanzania, the federal government stated on Saturday.
Thabo Bester, a convicted rapist, escaped from a privately-run jail in Bloemfontein in Might final yr — however South African police solely discovered final month.
On Saturday, Justice Minister Ronald Lamola stated Bester was arrested by Tanzanian authorities on Friday night time together with two others: A lady he’s reportedly romantically concerned with and one other individual.
“(We) can verify that escapee Mr. Thabo Bester along with his confederate Dr. Nandipha Maguduma(na) together with a Mozambican nationwide have been arrested in Tanzania late final night time,” Lamola instructed a press briefing.
Bester was believed to have died after setting himself on fireplace behind bars, however in late March police stated DNA exams revealed the charred stays present in his cell belonged to another person.
Dubbed the “Fb rapist,” Bester allegedly lured victims on the social media platform earlier than raping and robbing them. He killed a minimum of one sufferer.
In 2012, he was sentenced to life in jail for rape, theft and homicide.
Police Minister Bheki Cele stated the three have been held within the northern Tanzanian metropolis of Arusha, close to the Kenyan border, as they tried to depart the nation.
Authorities stopped the black SUV the fugitives have been touring in after it left a resort. The suspects had arrived in Arusha from Dar es Salaam, Cele stated
The suspects have been every in possession of a number of passports, he added.
Tanzanian authorities recognized the third individual as Zakaria Alberto.
“All are being held by the police,” Tanzania police spokesman David Misime stated in an announcement.
“Preparations for authorized communications each domestically and internationally are ongoing.”
Doubts about Bester’s loss of life have been first raised by native media outlet GroundUp in November.
Final month, police opened a contemporary homicide investigation after an post-mortem revealed the physique present in Bester’s cell had died because of blunt drive trauma to the pinnacle earlier than it was set ablaze.
The physique’s identification remains to be unknown.
Earlier this week, police raided a villa in an prosperous Johannesburg suburb the place Bester was thought to have hung out in hiding with Magudumana.
Lamola stated a South African delegation will journey to Tanzania tomorrow to convey the fugitives again.
“We’re assured that we’ll obtain most cooperation from our sister nation, Tanzania, to help us to convey these fugitives to justice,” Lamola stated.
British non-public safety agency G4S, which operates the jail Bester escaped from, has stated three staff have been dismissed in reference to the incident.
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