Fugitive Thabo Bester and his girlfriend, Dr Nandipha Magudumana, have been caught in Tanzania with multiple passports with several identities.
Tanzanian police, working with South African authorities and Interpol, followed the couple and arrested them in Arusha along with a Mozambican national.
Police Minister Bheki Cele stated that the pair had several passports, and none were stamped, including their entrance to Tanzania, making it unclear which border they escaped from. They were stopped when they were just 10km from Kenya, suggesting they were heading for the next country.
Ronald Lamola, the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services, confirmed that the South African government had initiated the deportation process for Bester and Magudumana to be brought back to South Africa.
The couple was pursued and apprehended in Arusha, Tanzania by the Tanzanian police, in collaboration with South African authorities and Interpol. Additionally, a Mozambican national was also arrested.
Clayson Monyela, Head of Public Diplomacy at the Department of International Relations and Co-operation, said Tanzania had ratified the SADC extradition protocols, making it unlikely there would be any issues with the deportations.
The charges that Magudumana will face include aiding Bester’s escape, and police have not yet announced any further charges that Bester’s accomplices may face.
The couple’s arrest is a result of the South African government’s tireless efforts to bring fugitives back to South Africa, including those charged with white-collar crimes like fraud and corruption. The government’s mutual working relations with Tanzania will ensure that all fugitives are brought back as soon as possible.