Johannesburg – The Department of Correctional Services says the circumstances surrounding the mysterious fiery death of Facebook rapist Thabo Bester remain a subject of an ongoing investigation.
This follows after questions have been raised if Bester was the person who was burnt to death when his cell was ablaze in May last year.
Pictures of a man resembling Bester which were taken two months after his alleged death, are also understood to form part of the DCS and SAPS ongoing investigations.
According to a GroundUp report, the DNA of the person burnt in the cell did not match with Bester’s mothers DNA as well.
In a statement on Friday, DCS spokesperson Singabakho Nxumalo confirmed the investigation into Bester’s death was ongoing. He said the investigation involved both the DCS and SAPS since the cause of death was unnatural causes.
This week, pictures of a man with a striking resemblence with Bester emerged. The pictures of the man believed to be him was seen shopping in Sandton two months after his mysterious death.
Bester, also known as the Facebook rapist who is said to have lured many young women, promising them lucrative modelling jobs but instead robbing and raping them. Bester was sentenced to life imprisonment for these crimes, back in 2012.
In May 2022, the Department of Correctional Services announced that Bester had been found dead in his single cell at the Mangaung Correctional Centre in Bloemfontein.
“On May 3, 2022, DCS issued a brief alert confirming an incident of death in custody, at Mangaung Correctional Centre (MCC) which is one of our public-private partnership (PPP) facilities.
“... following reports of a fire in a single cell allocated to the said inmate. We further disclosed that his body was discovered by officials employed at MCC at about 03h35.
“A burnt body meant that this case could not be classified as a natural death; hence, an investigation needed to be undertaken in order to determine the cause of death. This is a standard practice for all unnatural death cases in correctional facilities.”
Nxumalo also explained that investigations were still ongoing on this matter and no new developments have been made.
It was further explained that the South African Police Service needed to be involved in order to conduct an investigation as this was an unnatural death and police would assist in finding out if there was any foul play or criminal conduct involved.
Nxumalo said: “Almost all media enquiries received were relying heavily on the so-called leaks from unidentified sources. It would be irresponsible for DCS to respond to unconfirmed or unofficial reports.
“What we have seen in the past two days relates to the information supplied by these unauthorised sources and the department is pressured to confirm or deny these reports.”
The DCS has reiterated that the investigation on the death of Bester has not been concluded and the autopsy report has not been tabled before the department.
“The matter has become a subject of public interest and the department is pressing on the investigation team to conclude its work so that the findings could be made available.” said Nxumalo.
IOL