Justice and Correctional Services Minister Ronald Lamola says he only became aware in March that the body found in Thabo Bester’s prison cell had suffered blunt force trauma to the head.
Lamola said the national commissioner of correctional services had received this information from the director for contract management in the department.
An autopsy conducted in August last year, on the unknown body found in Cell 35 found that the deceased, initially thought to be Bester, had no signs of smoke inhalation, but had been murdered. His cause of death was according to the autopsy, blunt force trauma to the head.
Judge Edwin Cameron, in his capacity as the head of the Judicial Inspectorate for Correctional Services, told MPs in April that he had alerted SAPS and department of correctional services in August 2022, that their preliminary investigation found that Bester did not die in Cell 35.
Cameron also revealed that Lamola was told of Thabo Bester’s apparent escape as early as last October and that he thought that the minister and his officials were going to try to get investigations going as swiftly as possible.
It later emerged that the body found in Bester’s cell was that of Katlego Bereng.
It was used as a decoy when Bester escaped from prison last year.
Bester, Dr Nandipha Magudumana and several other people are on trial for the escape in Bloemfontein and the subsequent murder of Bereng.
Lamola, who was replying to written questions from DA MP Janho Engelbretch, said they got information regarding this development in March.
“The notification was received by means of a written investigation report on the escape of the mentioned offender,” said Lamola.
In another written question from IFP MP Professor Themba Msimang, Lamola said they have started the process of taking over Mangaung prison after they cancelled their contract with G4S security firm.
“The department has since embarked on a project to conduct vetting of the Correctional Centre personnel including contractors and staff members. A total of 507 Staff and 57 Contractors Personnel Suitability Checks were conducted and processed,” said Lamola.
He said they have started with the vetting of staff who will work at the prison.
They will also work on security clearances for staff members.
“Issuing of the security clearance certificates is the responsibility of the State Security Agency (SSA), the department will then submit all files for processing to SSA,” said Lamola.
siyabonga.mkhwanazi@inl.co.za
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