South African officials arrived in Tanzania on Sunday to begin the extradition of Thabo Bester, 35, dubbed the “Facebook Rapist” after he used the social media platform to lure at least two women before raping and killing one of them.
Thabo Bester is seen on camera at the Western Cape High Court, in Cape Town, South Africa Thursday, May 3, 2012. AP Photo
Bester was sentenced to life in prison in 2012 and it was reported that he died in a fire in his prison cell last May.
However, reports emerged of him being seen in Johannesburg and an investigation including DNA samples showed the body burned in the cell was not his.
Police said two weeks ago they were hunting Bester and last week they raided a luxury home he was renting in a posh suburb of Johannesburg.
Bester was arrested along with his girlfriend Nandipha Magudumana, a prominent doctor and a Mozambican citizen who is believed to have helped him cross the border and evade law enforcement.
He was found with several unstamped fake passports at the time of his arrest, about 10 km (6 miles) from the Kenyan border.
Authorities have now begun the process of extraditing him back to South Africa. “An official delegation from South Africa, comprising senior officials from the police, justice ministry and correctional services, left for Tanzania on Sunday,” Justice Minister Ronald Lamola said.
South African news agency GroundUp reported that for nearly a year after his escape, Bester lived a lavish lifestyle with Magudumana in Johannesburg's upscale Hyde Park suburb.
While in prison, Bester used the laptop to run an event planning and production company. At one point, he spoke at a conference from his cell, telling attendees he was speaking from the United States.
Bester's elaborate escape has raised many questions about the possible involvement of prison officials.
At least three officials have been fired from the Mangaung Correctional Centre, where Bester escaped, according to local reports. The prison is run by the UK-based security company G4S. The South African government has now taken over management of the maximum-security prison and has announced that G4S’s contract to manage the prison will not be renewed when it expires in 2026.
Mai Anh (according to AP)
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