Authorities in South Africa have declared one of the chief investigators in the Thabo Bester prison escape died Monday.
South African Police Service (SAPS) said his death remains mysterious and investigations are underway.
The circumstances surrounding the death of the senior officer, who was also the provincial leader of organized crime in the Free State, are still being investigated.
“The SAPS management wishes not to discuss this matter in the public domain.”
“In-house employee health and wellness experts which include chaplains have been dispatched to provide psychosocial services to the family and colleagues of the deceased member,” police spokesperson Brig Athlenda Mathe said.
The police are yet to confirm some media reports that he committed suicide.
National police commissioner Gen Fannie Masemola described the officer as a hardworking, loyal, and dedicated detective with 31 years of service.
“Over the years he has proven himself to be a highly skilled detective with a wealth of experience and knowledge in the detective environment.
His departure leaves a void in the SAPS detective environment,” Mathe said.
The detective had 31 years of service.
“Over the years he has proven himself to be a highly skilled detective with a wealth of experience and knowledge in the detective environment,” the statement said.
“His departure leaves a void in the Saps detective environment.”
Meanwhile, the urgent application by Dr Nandipha Magudumana was dismissed with costs by the Free State High Court in Bloemfontein, Free State on Monday, 5 June.
Magudumana had challenged that her arrest and subsequent deportation be declared null and void.
Judge Philip Loubser said in his ruling that Magudumana had been aware of the charges she faced in South Africa and had
consented to her deportation by Home Affairs because she wanted to be at home with her children.
“She was willing to be deported back to South Africa,” Philip said.
The judge stated that the transfer from a foreign territory of a person under police investigation for a certain crime is authorized.
“There was no violation of the fundamental human rights of any person, no undermining of international law.”
Magudumana was ordered to pay legal costs.
The NPA and South African police affidavits state that Magudumana did not resist when he was handed over by the South African High Commissioner in Tanzania.
Judge Philip explained the difference between deportation and extradition.
“Deportation is the removal of an illegal foreigner, while extradition is the handing over by one state to another of a person accused of a crime.”
NPA spokesman Phaladi Shuping said the prosecution welcomed the verdict.
Magudumana was arrested along with her boyfriend Thabo Bester while fleeing in the Republic of Tanzania.
Both Magudumana and Bester have yet to apply for bail as they are detained at Kroonstad Female Correctional Centre and Kgosi Mampuru respectively.
They are charged with arson, fraud, desecration of a corpse, obstruction of justice, and aiding and abetting the escape of a convicted inmate from custody, among others.
Their four co-accused were denied bail in the Bloemfontein Magistrates Court in May 2023.
The dead body of Katleho Bereng, 32, was used as a decoy during Bester’s escape from Mangaung Prison in May 2022.
By Agencies
