Nandipha Magudumana’s father, Zolile Sekeleni, has broken his silence on his alleged involvement in the 2022 escape of convicted criminal Thabo Bester. His exclusive comments were made in the Netflix docuseries Beauty and the Bester, which was released on Friday, 12 September.
Sekeleni is one of eight who are facing trial on charges of fraud, corruption, aiding an escape, and violating a corpse.
NANDIPHA MAGUDUMANA’S FATHER BREAKS SILENCE
In Beauty and the Bester’s three-part series, Nandipha Magudumana’s father, Zolile Sekeleni, broke his silence for the first time since his arrest in 2023.
The Port Edward man is accused of assisting Thabo Bester’s escape from the Mangaung Correctional Centre in 2022.
In the series, Sekeleni admonished his daughter’s relationship with Bester, who was introduced to him as businessman TK Nkwana.
The 65-year-old hailed his “brilliant” daughter, who was a renowned celebrity skin doctor. However, he claimed Nandipha “changed” after meeting the man now known as Thabo Bester.
Sekeleni became entangled with the couple’s criminal spree after he drove a vehicle to Bloemfontein, which would later transport the dead body of Katlego Bereng into the prison. Bereng’s body would replace that of Bester, who faked his death and escaped in May 2022.
Fast forward to early 2023, and news broke that Nandipha was linked to Bester.
Zolile Sekeleni claimed his daughter warned him to flee his home as he was “in danger”
He said during the Netflix series: “It was an oppressive period in our lives. I find myself not knowing whether to blame myself. Why did I go to Johannesburg? Because there are so many high-profile criminals. I was afraid”
After branding Bester a “psychopath”, Sekeleni said of his arrest: “It was a horrible thing. They said I was helping a prisoner escape.”
ACCOMPLICE OR INNOCENT BYSTANDER?
Zolile Sekeleni did not go into detail about how or why he assisted his daughter Nandipha Magudumana or the man he knew as TK Nkwana.
Details of his involvement will likely be heard when the accused goes on trial, which is set to begin on 10 November at the Bloemfontein High Court.
The accused are facing charges of aiding Thabo Bester’s 2022 prison escape, defrauding the public, and violating multiple bodies.
DO YOU THINK NANDIPHA MAGUDUMANA’S FATHER IS INNOCENT OR GUILTY?
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