Disgraced prison warder ‘close’ to Thabo Bester purchased flashy car a month before the ‘great escape’

Cape Town - As the story continues to unfold surrounding the ‘great escape’ of Facebook rapist, Thabo Bester, a former prison warden of the Mangaung Correctional Centre is alleged to have been in cahoots with the fugitive.

Bester supposedly burnt to death in his Mangaung Correctional Centre cell in May 2022. He had been serving a life sentence for rape and murder.

However, an explosive investigation by GroundUp revealed that Bester escaped from prison and was seen in Sandton shopping at a supermarket two months after he was apparently burnt to death.

Correctional Services admitted on Friday that the person burnt to death in May 2022 was not Bester, and that he likely escaped from the public-private prison facility in Mangaung.

At the weekend, it was announced the DNA analysis conducted on the charred remains found in the cell confirmed them to be of an unknown person and not Bester.

Police have since opened a murder case.

Questions are now looming as to how Bester escaped.

According to TimesLive, one of three G4S prison guards who was fired last year is alleged to have assisted Bester in his escape.

Senohe Matsoara was fired in September by the company.

Checking out his social media platforms, the prison guard has been living the high life and boasted a brand new car a month before the prison break.

On January 5, 2022, Matsoara posted a picture on his Facebook of his brand new Volkswagen T-Roc 2.0 as well as a certificate from Volkswagen in Menlyn congratulation him on his purchase and wishing him: ‘joyful kilometres’.

He also posted pictures of himself beside his new ride, even after his dismissal.

Pictures of Matsoara living his best life at events and parties are all over his social media.

According to sources who spoke to TimesLIVE, Matsoara seems to have been in cahoots with Bester and on the night of the fire which broke out in Bester’s cell, he was not scheduled to work, however, he reported for duty.

The publication questioned Matsoara on this and he denied being on duty, despite their journalist having seen his logbook entry which proves he was.

He declined to further comment and swore at their journalist in Setswana.

A prison warder on duty on the day Bester escaped said many questions are being asked about Matsoara’s relationship with Bester.

Earlier this week, leader of the Patriotic Alliance (PA), Gayton Mckenzie, who also served 10 years in prison said politicians, prison officials and police were involved in the Facebook rapist’s escape as it was impossible to escape without detection.

robin.francke@inl.co.za

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