South Africa is captivated by the Thabo Bester saga, and now Netflix is set to release a documentary, 'Beauty and the Bester', exploring his life, crimes, and audacious prison escape. But Bester and his partner, Dr. Nandipha Magudumana, are fighting back, launching a legal battle to block the documentary's release.
Who is Thabo Bester?
Thabo Bester, infamously known as the "Facebook rapist," lured victims through social media before committing heinous crimes. Convicted of rape and murder in 2012, he was serving a life sentence when he allegedly faked his death and escaped from a maximum-security prison in 2022. A charred body was found in his cell, initially believed to be Bester, but later revealed to be someone else.
The Escape and Recapture
Bester and Magudumana were on the run for a year, allegedly living under an alias in Johannesburg. They were eventually apprehended in Tanzania in April 2023 and deported back to South Africa. They now face charges including violating a corpse, defeating the ends of justice, and fraud.
The Netflix Documentary Controversy
Bester and Magudumana argue that the documentary is defamatory and should only be aired after their trial concludes. Netflix defends its right to release the three-part investigation, highlighting its public interest value. The High Court is set to rule on the matter shortly before the documentary's scheduled release.
The court has reserved judgment and is expected to deliver it on Friday at 8:30 a.m., just before the documentary is slated to drop at 9:00 a.m. The outcome will determine whether the public gets to see Netflix's version of the Thabo Bester story or whether the court sides with Bester and Magudumana's plea for a delay.