Thabo Bester to launch new bid to postpone trial with newly appointed lawyers

Convicted rapist and murderer Thabo Bester, currently on trial for escaping from prison, has appointed new lawyers. His previous lawyers had withdrawn because they did not receive legal instructions.

The new lawyers, Dinana Reid Inc, are in the process of filing a high court application regarding Bester’s access to his lawyers while in prison. Bester is being held at the Kgosi Mampuru maximum security prison in Pretoria.

During a brief appearance in the Free State Division of the High Court in Bloemfontein on Thursday morning, Bester’s advocate Lerato Moela asked for a postponement until the new high court application was heard. Moela said consulting with Bester at the prison was difficult and they were only allowed two hours a day.

Moela said the application involved Bester’s right to legal representation and the conditions in which he was kept, given his mental health. He also implied that the application would challenge the jurisdiction of the court to try Bester, but he did not provide details.

Read more: Further delay in Thabo Bester trial as court hears complaints of  ‘inhumane’ treatment

Prosecutor Amanda Bester (no relation to the accused) argued that the matter should not be postponed further. She said that no court papers had yet been served for the application.

She also said Bester had informed the National Prosecuting Authority that he would bring a different application in which he would argue that he was abducted from Tanzania. But his lawyers had said they would not be part of that application.

Judge Cagney Musi said that the applications Bester wished to bring were not yet before him, and therefore he could not consider them.

Two of the accused, Senohe Matsoara and Tieho Makhotsa, told the court that they would apply for legal aid after their private lawyers withdrew.

Mmusi decided to adjourn the court until they had secured legal representation. He said this would give Bester and his lawyers further opportunity to discuss their way forward.

The matter will resume on Wednesday, 31 July. DM

First published by GroundUp.

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