SA moves to extradite fugitives from Tanzania

A South African delegation has arrived in Tanzania to ensure the secure return of high-profile fugitives. Thabo Bester and his partner Dr Nandipha Magudumana. Legalbrief reports that the pair were arrested in Arusha on Friday night along with a Mozambican national. It appears that they were on their way to Kenya at the time of their arrest. And Magudumana’s father has also been taken in for questioning. TimesLIVE reports that police visited her father's Port Shepstone home as they investigate any possible involvement or knowledge he may have in relation to three unknown bodies that were allegedly stolen by Magudumana from Free State mortuaries. Magudumana allegedly stole three bodies from the mortuaries as part of Bester’s audacious escape from the Mangaung Correctional Centre. According to a source close to investigations, four suspects were arrested over the weekend linked to Bester’s escape. Magudumana’s father is expected to appear in court today. ‘We understand that there are monies that he contributed towards the bodies stolen from the morgues, but we are investigating and trying to see how he fits into the whole scheme,’ the source said. During a media briefing on Saturday, Police Minister Bheki Cele confirmed that Magudumana had claimed three bodies from Free State mortuaries. ‘She claimed that one of the bodies was her father, the other she claimed that it was her brother and the other one she claimed was her husband. It is something that we are looking into,’ said Cele. One body, which Magudumana allegedly secured after claiming it was her father, was dumped in a river a week after she took possession of it, still with the mortuary’s identification toe tag attached.

The Sunday Times reports that Justice & Correctional Services Minister Ronald Lamola said processes were afoot to have Bester and Magudumana sent back to face justice. ‘The fact that the pair were in Tanzania illegally means that they will have to be deported back to SA. For an extradition process to take place one has to be charged. The country will have to submit an application stating that that person needs to be tried in SA because of the allegations they face,’ he said. ‘But in Bester’s case, he was charged, tried, convicted and sentenced. He is someone who escaped from custody. The process should not be difficult in his case,’ he said. Lamola could not state how long it would take for the detained couple to be brought back to SA.