Johannesburg – The brother of celebrity doctor Nandipha Magudumana says he knew nothing about the audacious Thabo Bester prison escape plan, the dodgy businesses and that he never ever met the “Facebook Rapist” in person.
Nkosinathi Sekeleni says he believes Magudumana, who is now separated from her husband, Dr Mkhuseli Magudumana, was lured into the mysterious relationship with Bester.
He said he believed his sister was suffering from Stockholm Syndrome (a psychological syndrome in which a person being held captive begins to identify with and grow sympathetic to his or her captor) and was angry that she had exposed her two daughters to Bester, “the monster”.
Sekeleni, who spoke to news broadcaster eNCA on Monday, said Bester, who was introduced to him as Magudumana’s New York-based business mentor, threatened to kill him on more than one occasion.
In one occasion, his wife and son had to flee the R12 million Hyde Park mansion in the middle of the night after he had got into an argument over the phone with Bester.
He said he figured out he was actually Bester and addressed him as Thabo Bester to show him he knew who he was.
Magudumana urged them to all leave as he said Bester would send hitmen for them, but Sekeleni stayed.
“He was so arrogant. I said to him Thabo Bester and he said ‘yes Nathi’. I said to him ‘I’ve got you, I know who you are’.
“He said to me you can go to any publication and nothing will be done about it,” recalled Sekeleni.
He said this left him confused and he knew he was dangerous.
He also admitted to allegedly extorting money from his sister, but he blamed this on his inebriated state at the time, emotions and confusion.
Sekeleni said he has also once questioned Magudumana about where she was getting money to live in the extravagant R12m Hyde Park mansion, and she told him he had scored R700m in funding from the Industrial Development Corporation for her businesses.
– BESTER/NANDIPHA RELATIONSHIP
According to KayaFM News, Bester and Magudumana first met in 2006 at Wits University where Bester ran one of his spoof modelling agencies.
A young Magudumana would be one of Bester's “promo girls”.
It is not known if he had engaged in his “Facebook Rapist” modus operandi by then, wherein he targeted young women in university, offering modelling, presenting and TV gigs with household media companies.
He would rob and rape his victims.
It was also reported Magudumana stayed in contact with Bester until 2011, and by 2013 she married Dr Magudumana.
Between 2016 and 2017, it is alleged that Magudumana, who was by now married, got back in contact with Bester.
It is not known exactly when the Magudumanas separated.
Sekeleni said he never met Bester and had nothing to do with his Mangaung prison escape plan.
Magudumana and Bester were arrested in Arusha, Tanzania, along with a Mozambican national who was assisting them in their audacious escape.
They are expected back in the country this week, where they will face multiple charges in the courts.
– WHISTLE-BLOWING
Sekeleni was one of the first people to blow the whistle about Bester in a now deleted 2011 Facebook post, wherein he accused his sister Magudumana of being in “daily contact” with Bester, “the monster”.
“Time to name and shame. Don’t be fooled by her looks and charm. Very evil this girl, Dr Nandipha Sekeleni Magudumana.
“She is in daily contact with this monster by the name of THABO BESTER once dubbed the FACEBOOK RAPIST doing a life sentence in #Grootvlei.
“She even exposes her two little daughters to this monster.
“In the outside world he goes by the name TK Nkwana. He was the sponsor of her event called #TheDoctorsNetwork and has been laundering money through her business #Optimunmedicalaesthetics.
“She has really dug herself into a hole. For a married woman having an affair with such a lowlife as this, she is a shame to the Sekeleni family.
“With this country fighting #GBV and #corruption we still have monsters like this operating on the outside while in prison.
“I have evidence in the form of recorded telephone calls. I’m posting this because two nights ago a gunman tried and failed to kill me, my wife and my child,” said Sekeleni on a now deleted Facebook post.
Sekeleni said he had notified the Hawks via email about Bester and also said he was one of the people who sent information to the non-profit news agency GroundUp, which has since led to the arrest and subsequent confirmation that Bester did escape from prison and did not die by suicide after a fire at Cell 35 at the G4S run Mangaung Correctional Centre.
On his father’s arrest, he said he was concerned as both his parents were diabetic, but he said the law had to take its place and he was not aware why his father waas arrested.
– ARREST
Sekeleni said he and his family were relieved that Bester and Magudumana were arrested in Tanzania.
He said they were living in fear, constantly looking over ones shoulder, when no one knew where Bester was.
“I just want South Africa to know what happened,” said Sekeleni.
Earlier on Monday, the police confirmed the arrest of Magudumana’s father, Mr Sekeleni, and Senohe Matsoara, a former prison official who allegedly actively assisted Bester to escape from prison in May last year.
Police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe confirmed the two arrests of Sekeleni and Matsoara, a former correctional services employee who allegedly assisted Bester to escape and who purchased a R600 000 VW T-Roc allegedly from bribe money paid by Bester.
The police said more arrests were expected.
The police said both suspects have been charged with aiding and abetting a convicted prisoner to escape from lawful custody.
IOL