Cape Town - Justice and Correctional Services Minister Ronald Lamola has given an explanation why Thabo Bester has been appearing in court in civilian clothes, despite being a convicted prisoner.
Bester has appeared in court virtually, wearing designer clothes worth thousands of rands.
This led to some of the parliamentarians questioning this.
Lamola said it was standard operating procedure for convicted prisoners to appear in court in civilian clothes.
DA MP Glynnis Breytenbach asked Lamola, in a written parliamentary question, why Bester would wear designer clothes when he was already serving a sentence in prison.
She said he should be wearing prison garb as a convicted person.
But Lamola said the standard operating procedure allowed Bester to put on civilian clothes.
“The Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) which governs internal and external security prescribes security measures for court appearances by a sentenced offender on further charges.
“The SOP outlines that a sentenced offender appearing in court on further charges must be dressed in their own private clothing which is clean and neat. In the event an inmate does not have suitable private clothes they are to be provided with release clothes,” said Lamola.
Bester and Dr Nandipha Magudumana are on trial in the Bloemfontein court for a number of charges following Bester’s brazen escape from prison last year.
Former G4S security firm employees are also charged alongside the two. The law enforcement agencies said more people are expected to be arrested soon.
Most of the accused are in custody after they were denied bail by the court.
Bester was serving a life sentence and 75 years for murder and rape when he escaped from prison.
The law enforcement agencies arrested them in Tanzania.
siyabonga.mkhwanazi@inl.co.za
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