The official story was that convicted rapist and murderer Thabo Bester died in a South African prison fire on May 3, 2022, but the truth was far more shocking: he had faked his own death with a stolen corpse and easily walked out of a maximum security prison.

Known as "The Facebook Rapist" for luring women with fake international modeling opportunities, Bester was serving a 30-year sentence for the rape and robbery of two women and the murder of his girlfriend, Nomfundo Tyhulu, in 2011.

In this episode, we unravel the chaotic details of his escape and his life on the run:

• The Fake Death: An investigation into the cell fire and the burned remains raised immediate suspicion. The body used to stage his death was later confirmed to have died before the fire from blunt force trauma to the head, and DNA did not match Bester . 

• The Accomplice: Dr. Nandipha Magudumana (Dr. Nandi): Celebrity physician Dr. Nandi, who claimed to be Bester's customary law wife, was his essential partner in crime. She initially collected the body and was later spotted shopping with Bester, aiding his life as a fugitive. She is a glamorous doctor who had it all, but chose a criminal life as a "cold-blooded accomplice".

• Life as a Fugitive: Before his escape was confirmed, Bester was running multiple scam companies from prison. After walking out, he continued his fraudulent schemes with Dr. Nandi, meeting clients and living in a rented mansion until their arrest in Tanzania in April 2023. 

This incredible true crime saga is also the subject of the Netflix docuseries, Beauty and the Bester.

 

Thank you to this week’s sponsors!

Take care of your liver with Dose!  Save 25% on your first month of subscription by going to dosedaily.co/MOMS or entering MOMS at checkout. 

Keep it classic and cozy this fall with long-lasting staples from Quince. Go to Quince.com/moms for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. 

 

Check-out bonus episodes up on Spotify and Apple podcast now!

Get new episodes a day early and ad free, plus chat episodes, at Patreon.com/momsandmysteriespodcast . 

 

To advertise on the show, contact [email protected] or visit https://www.advertisecast.com/MomsandMysteriesATrueCrimePodcast. 

 

Check-out Moms and Mysteries to find links to our tiktok, youtube, twitter, instagram and more.

Sources:

1. https://www.scribd.com/document/646714591/State-v-Thabo-Bester-WCC-16-Aug-2021-by-Cloete-AJ 

2. https://groundup.org.za/article/many-mysteries-surround-death-facebook-rapist-thabo-bester/ 

3. https://groundup.org.za/article/did-the-facebook-rapist-die-in-his-cell-or-did-he-escape-from-prison/

4. https://200youngsouthafricans.co.za/nandipha-magudumana-2018/ 

5. https://www.justice.gov.za/legislation/acts/1998-120.pdf  

6. https://groundup.org.za/article/man-resembling-facebook-rapist-thabo-bester-spotted-in-sandton/ 

7. https://groundup.org.za/article/government-admits-thabo-bester-has-escaped/ 

8. https://groundup.org.za/article/facebook-rapist-deputy-minister-was-informed-by-warden-in-june-2022-thabo-bester-escaped/ 

9. https://groundup.org.za/article/g4s-booted-from-control-mangaung-prison-after-thabo-bester-escape/ 

10. https://groundup.org.za/article/thabo-bester-nandipha-magudumana-arrested-in-tanzania/

11. https://groundup.org.za/article/thabo-bester-prison-break-two-men-in-court-charged-with-murder/ 

12. https://groundup.org.za/article/nandipha-magudumana-appears-in-court-for-first-time/

13. https://groundup.org.za/article/recaptured-thabo-bester-returns-to-courtroom/  

14. https://groundup.org.za/article/thabo-bester-escape-g4s-guard-in-court/ 

15. https://groundup.org.za/article/nandipha-madugumana-accomplices-to-stay-in-prison-for-now-her-dad-has-been-granted-bail/ 

16. https://groundup.org.za/article/thabo-bester-escape-many-unanswered-questions-surround-death-katlego-bereng/ 

17. https://groundup.org.za/article/thabo-bester-escape-state-says-prison-cctv-technician-was-offered-a-r25-million-bribe/ 

18. https://groundup.org.za/article/thabo-bester-escape-friends-remember-katlego-bereng/ 

19. https://groundup.org.za/article/burial-for-katlego-bereng-takes-place-in-bloemfontein/

20. https://groundup.org.za/article/magistrate-denies-bail-to-four-accused-in-thabo-bester-saga/ 

21. https://groundup.org.za/article/judge-rejects-dr-nandipha-urgent-bid-for-freedom/ 

22. https://groundup.org.za/article/police-testimony-reveals-how-thabo-bester-allegedly-bribed-prison-officials-to-escape-from-prison/ 

23. https://groundup.org.za/article/ninth-suspect-in-thabo-bester-escape-appears-in-court/ 

24. https://groundup.org.za/article/thabo-bester-saga-judge-grants-r10000-bail-to-three-more-co-accused/ 

25. https://groundup.org.za/article/three-more-g4s-prison-officials-in-court-for-aiding-thabo-besters-escape/ 

26. https://groundup.org.za/article/thabo-bester-escape-court-grants-r10000-bail-to-one-of-three-prison-officers-arrested-last-week/ 

27. https://groundup.org.za/article/nandipha-magudumana-denied-bail/ 

28. https://groundup.org.za/article/thabo-bester-escape-trial-to-start-in-february-2024/ 

29. https://groundup.org.za/article/magudumana-must-stay-in-prison-sca-rules/ 

30. https://groundup.org.za/article/judge-warns-thabo-bester-co-accused-not-to-delay-proceedings/ 

31. https://www.thesouthafrican.com/lifestyle/celeb-news/mkhuseli-magudumana-who-dr-nandipha-ex-husband-thabo-bester-divorce-children-17-april-2023/ 

32. https://www.thesouthafrican.com/lifestyle/nandipha-magudumana-meet-the-doctor-who-plotted-thabo-besters-escape-september-2023/ 

33. https://iol.co.za/the-star/news/2023-04-13-who-is-dr-nandipha-magudumana-and-how-deep-in-trouble-is-she/ 

34. https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/south-africa/2023-03-30-watch-dr-nandipha-from-beauty-boss-to-fugitive-holidays-cars-and-celebrities/ 

35. https://iol.co.za/sundayindependent/news/2022-05-08-facebook-rapist-mysteriously-burns-to-ashes-in-his-cell/ 

36. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-65311848 

37. https://www.gov.za/news/media-statements/minister-aaron-motsoaledi-home-affairs-related-aspects-thabo-bester-and-dr 

38. https://powerfulwomen.mg.co.za/dr-nandipha-magudumana-2020/ 

39. https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/south-africa/2022-05-03-facebook-rapist-thabo-bester-found-dead-in-his-mangaung-prison-cell/ 

40. https://iol.co.za/news/south-africa/kwazulu-natal/2011-10-14-i-was-raped-says-facebook-rapist/ 

41. https://iol.co.za/news/2012-05-04-facebook-rapist-in-dock-for-fraud/ 

42. https://www.sowetanlive.co.za/news/2012-08-14-i-dont-know-why-i-killed-her-facebook-rapist/

43. https://www.news24.com/drum/news/facebook-rapist-sentence-reduced-20170728  

44. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/accused-facebook-rapist-thabo-bester-loses-bid-block-netflix-documentary/ 

45. https://iol.co.za/dailynews/news/2025-06-17-court-withdraws-charges-against-john-masukela-in-thabo-bester-escape-case/

46. https://groundup.org.za/article/thabo-bester-dr-nandipha-made-millions-from-property-company/ 

47. https://groundup.org.za/article/thabo-bester-ran-glitzy-multi-million-rand-scam---from-behind-bars/ 

48. https://groundup.org.za/article/more-evidence-emerges-of-links-between-thabo-bester-and-dr-nandipha-magudumana/ 

49. https://groundup.org.za/article/police-minister-confirms-thabo-bester-was-let-go-while-he-was-on-the-run/ 

50. https://groundup.org.za/article/thabo-bester-saga-police-fail-to-collect-evidence/ 

51. https://groundup.org.za/article/government-knew-of-thabo-besters-escape-since-october-but-did-nothing/ 

52. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-6536554