News24.com | Thabo Bester escape: Magudumana's father granted bail, while she remains in custody with co-accused

Zolile Sekeleni, the father of Dr Nandipha Magudumana, was granted R10 000 bail in the Bloemfontein Magistrate's Court on Monday.

Sekeleni and his co-accused - Magudumana, former G4S employee Senohe Matsoara, and camera installer Teboho Lipholo - are accused of helping convicted rapist and murderer Thabo Bester escape from Mangaung Correctional Centre in Bloemfontein in May 2022.

FOLLOW LIVE | Dr Nandipha's father granted bail, Magudumana and co-accused remain in custody

Bester is also charged in the matter and appeared in the dock alone on Friday. He will return to court on 16 May.

In courtroom 17 on Monday, Sekeleni was seen comforting Magudumana as the two sat side by side before proceedings began.

Moments later, they were separated as the accused had to sit in the order they were listed on the indictment. Lipholo then shuffled between father and daughter.

Once the court was in session, the prosecutor asked the magistrate to compel Magudumana to show her face fully.

READ | Thabo or not Thabo? We knew Bester as 'Robert', says shocked childhood friend

As with her court appearance on Thursday, the celebrity doctor covered her nose, mouth and chin with a face mask. Her head was once again covered with the hood of her tracksuit sweater.

Following the magistrate's instructions, Magudumana pulled down her mask and lifted her hood. A swath of camera clicks could be heard as photojournalists captured her unmasked face.

The magistrate agreed to postpone the case to 3 May, when Magudumana, Matsoara and Lipholo will return to court. The case has been set down for two days.

It's understood that the three accused may follow Sekeleni and apply for bail next month.

During proceedings, it was also revealed that Lipholo had been convicted for stock theft in 2007.