The Department of Correctional Services (DCS) has moved to assure South Africans that serial rapist and murderer Thabo Bester is still behind bars at the Kgosi Mampuru II Correctional facility in Pretoria.

Bester escaped from Mangaung Correctional Centre – run by international security company G4S – last year and fled South Africa upon detection but was rearrested earlier this week.

“The department…has noted false information circulating in various platforms that offender Thabo Bester has been returned to Manguang Correctional Centre.

“We can state that Bester was transported to Kgosi Mampuru II Correctional facility. In addition, DCS can confirm that there is no complaint filed about threats to his life and that offender Bester is taking meals,” the department said.

Meanwhile, earlier this week in an appearance before the Portfolio Committee on Justice and Correctional Services, Justice and Correctional Services Minister Ronald Lamola apologised to the victims of the crimes that Bester was found guilty of in the first instance.

“I want to take this opportunity to apologise to the victims of the convicted rapist Mr Thabo Bester and to all the people of South Africa that this dangerous criminal was let loose in the public by the G4S officials.

“[As] DCS we take full responsibility for this as we’re the custodian of the Correctional Services Act and we are the people doing so on behalf of the people of South Africa. The people of South Africa don’t know G4S as the custodian of these services. So it’s us who must take responsibility. It is the first of its kind type of incident that we had to deal with of this nature, uniqueness and magnitude,” he said.

The Minister also told the committee that the department is seeking legal opinion on whether the current contract with G4S can be terminated.

Source: South African Government News Agency