Thabo Bester's cell fire victim: Police’s transparency questioned
The South African Police Services have been accused of a lack of transparency in its investigation around the body found in Thabo Bester's prison cell.
The family of Katlego Junior Bereng Mpholo have reportedly been told that their son collapsed and died in hospital.
However, the family is rejecting the police's version of events and they are demanding more answers.
According to ActionSA's Free State chairperson, Patricia Kopane, who visited the family on Sunday in Bloemfontein, the family wants to know how Katlego ended up at the government's mortuary and ultimately at the G4S-run prison.
Katlego's unidentified charred body was discovered in the British security company G4S Mangaung Correctional Centre after the Facebook rapist and murder convict Thabo Bester escaped on 3 May 2023.
Kopane said she was informed by the family that the police have not shown them the results of the DNA test conducted to ascertain that indeed Katlego was the person found inside cell 35 in the Mangaung prison.
She said the mother of the deceased was first taken for the DNA test with little information shared with her, and the results came back inconclusive.
The mother was taken for a second time and only after that, the test results came back positive. However, to date, she hasn't been allowed to see Katlego's body or even the results. When she demanded to see her son's body she was told the government mortuary had closed.
Katlego's body was allegedly claimed from the state mortuary by Bester's girlfriend Dr Nandipha Magudumana, as that of her husband.
On Saturday, police confirmed that the charred body found in the Facebook rapist and murderer's prison cell is indeed Mpholo's.
Katlego went missing in March 2022.
National police spokesperson, Athlenda Mathe, told OFM News that they can confirm the charred body found in cell 35 has been identified following a direct match with the biological mother of the deceased.
She said the family of the deceased has been notified by the investigating officer. Mathe said that no further comment will be provided.
"As difficult as this news is, the SAPS is pleased to bring closure to the family," Mathe added.
So far several accused – including Dr Magudumana's father Zolile Sekeleni; former G4S security guard Senohe Matsoara; technician Teboho James Lipholo; and another G4S guard Motanyane John Masukela – all appeared in court after being arrested.
They were remanded in custody until 3 and 4 May for a formal bail hearing.
Sekeleni is the only suspect out on bail of R10 000.
Kopane said Action SA and the family of the deceased will on Tuesday open a criminal case against the G4S security company and the Department of Health.
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