By: Natasha Archary
Police Minister Bheki Cele has said that the body found in a prison cell in May last year was not confirmed to be that of “Facebook rapist” Thabo Bester.
The Minister said that DNA reports were not done to verify that the “Facebook rapist” had actually died in his prison cell after a fire broke out.
This after pictures of a man resembling Bester was spotted shopping in Sandton City two months after his supposed death.

On 5 May, Manguang Correctional Centre spokesperson Singabakho Nxumalo confirmed that Bester had died at 03h35, saying the cause of death was serious burn wounds.
“We have confirmed the untimely passing of an inmate by the name of Thabo Bester at Mangaung Correctional Centre in Bloemfontein. This inmate was doing life imprisonment. He was discovered in his cell at about 03h35 on Tuesday morning. He suffered serious burn wounds.”
However, on Friday, 17 March, Cele says he will now be speaking to Minister of Justice and Correctional Services Ronald Lamola on the matter and they are aware of reports that he could be alive and out of prison.
BREAKING: Police Minister Bheki Cele says that the body found in a cell believed to be that of convicted #FacebookRapist #ThaboBester has not confirmed through DNA. Police will be further investigating if indeed Bester is alive and out & about as seen in some pictures. #eNCA
— Heidi Giokos (@HeidiGiokos) March 17, 2023
The matter was reported by GroundUp, who sent pictures to the Judicial Inspectorate for Correctional Services (JICS) to confirm whether Bester had escaped from prison.
Emerantia Cupido, spokesperson for JICS told the publication it was the first time they had seen these photos.
Cupido said that the department unfortunately did not have the equipment to conduct a forensic accreditation to confirm the authenticity of these photos or the identity of the person in the photos.
However, one of Bester’s victims, Keabetswe Khutsoane, confirmed it was Bester who was spotted in Sandton City.
Bester was convicted of raping two women who were aspiring models in 2011. He lured the women on Facebook by pretending to be a modelling scout.
In a separate case he was convicted of robbing and killing a third woman. Bester claimed he was involved in a long distance relationship with the third woman.
He killed and robbed her when she visited him and left her body in a Cape Town guesthouse.
Also read: Costa Titch already laid to rest, memorial to take place on Saturday



