Court hears one of Bester’s escape accused called police to confess about his involvement

One of the men who was allegedly paid R40,000 after being promised R2.5m to help Thabo Bester escape from the Mangaung Correctional Centre in May last year, turned himself in to police. 

The Bloemfontein magistrate’s court on Thursday heard that Teboho Lipholo, who was a CCTV technician for a company contracted to G4S, called one of the members investigating Bester’s escape, and asked to meet him at Mimosa Mall on April 11, the day he was arrested. 

This is according to one of the state witnesses, who took the stand to testify in the bail application of five former G4S employees who are alleged to have helped Bester escape from prison.

The witness is part of a team of investigators working on the case, and cannot be named as per the order of the court. 

“He called my colleague and asked to speak to a police officer whom he can trust about the matter. He also asked that they meet at Mimosa Mall,” the witness told the court. 

According to the witness the meeting took place at the mall, and it is where Lipholo told his colleague that he was scared for his life. 

“That's when he explained what transpired during the escape from G4S and he laid out his role. He said he was scared that members of society or his colleagues would kill or torture him,” the witness said, adding that Lipholo also mentioned names of the other staff members that had been involved in the escape.

This evidence by the witness was contradictory to Lipholo’s affidavit, read earlier by his lawyer, in support of his bail application. 

According to the affidavit, Lipholo said he was contacted by the police and agreed to meet them at the mall. However, with the testimony of the state witness, it emerged that he was the one who had initiated the call to the police. 

Earlier in the day, the court also heard that Lipholo had a previous conviction of stock theft from 2007.  The court also heard from the state witness that Lipholo now owns three cattle, that he uses for trading. 

Lipholo asked the court to grant him bail, as conditions in prison were unbearable. Lipholo said prison was too cold for him and they were not given enough blankets. He also said he has since contracted severe flu and he was given Panado to treat it, as there was no proper medication available. 

The bail application continues on Friday.

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