"THE high-level delegation led by the Department of Home Affairs sent to Tanzania on Monday, 9 April has successfully concluded the deportation of the fugitives."
This was said by Justice and Correctional Services Minister Ronald Lamola during a media briefing on Thursday, 13 April.
This comes after Bester and his girlfriend Dr Nandipha Magudumana were deported back to South Africa after being arrested in Tanzania.
"We can confirm that these fugitives have been returned to South Africa. Bester has been readmitted into the Kgosi Mampuru Central Maximum correctional facility and Dr Nandipha Magudumana is under arrest, pending her first court appearance," said Lamola.
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Correctional Service commissioner Samuel Thobakgale said Bester has been taken to Kgosi Mampuru II C-Max prison for security reasons.
He said they looked at the security plan from where they landed to the nearest facility that has all the security measures to ensure that he didn’t harm himself and to also ensure he was not harmed by any other person.
"The most appropriate facility was identified was Kgosi Mampuru. Obviously in that facility we have different sections, and we chose to accommodate him at C-Max because we were also looking at the intensity of the security and the contact that we need to manage around him, given the type of offender he is," said Thobakgale.
He said they were also placing a 24/7 contact with him, with selected highly trained Correctional Services officials to ensure that whatever circumstance he found himself in, they would be first on call.
National police commissioner General Fannie Masemola said Dr Nandipha had been taken to the Bloemfontein Magistrate Court, where she's facing charges of murder, the violation of bodies, aiding and abetting and fraud.
Masemola confirmed that so far five people, including the duo, have been arrested in connection with the Bester prison escape.
He said another person was still being questioned by the police.
Lamolo has expressed his gratitude to all the role players who've assisted following the manhunt for the fugitives including state agencies and members of the public, but particularly the government of Tanzania for its co-operation in relation to the arrest and deportation of the couple.
