By: Natasha Archary, Dianne Hawker

South Africa’s infamous couple, Dr Nandipha Magudumana and Thabo Bester were reunited for the first time since their arrest in April 2023.
The criminally linked lovebirds who joined 10 others accused of aiding the convicted rapist and murderer in staging a brazen escape from the Mangaung Correctional Center in May 2022, held hands and exchanged a few words before their case was once again postponed.
Nandipha and Bester, dubbed “The Facebook rapist,” looked happy to see each other, and both took turns to find out if the other was okay.
It’s been 4-months since the pair was arrested in Tanzania, after fleeing South Africa where they were wanted for a myriad of crimes including tampering with a dead body.
Bester escaped from the maximum security prison by faking his death in a fire that was set in his prison cell.
The body that was discovered in the alleged fraudster’s cell, was that of 31-year-old Katlego Bereng.
A few months after Bester escaped from the privately run Mangaung Correctional Center, he was spotted shopping with Dr Nandipha and her daughter in Sandton City.
The couple who enjoyed a number of romantic “prison getaways” while Bester was doing time in Mangaung, allegedly used a number of fake aliases, and are accused of orchestrating fake businesses to defraud people of millions.
WATCH: Thabo Bester is brought up last from the cells. He joins the 11 other accused, 7 of whom are out on bail. #ThaboBester pic.twitter.com/IT4D1gB7eM
— Kaya 959 News (@KayaNews) August 8, 2023
However, despite the serious allegations against them, and their co-accused, most of whom are former G4S security employees, both Nandipha and Bester looked as though the time apart only strengthened their bond.
The pair were heard mouthing, “I’m happy to see you,” and “Are you okay?” while exchanging loving looks and smiling fondly at each other.
Bester who was in handcuffs, reached over to hold Nandipha’s hands as he sat next to her at the Bloemfontein Magistrates Court.
The Facebook rapist’s lawyer claimed that 23 items of Bester’s, valued at over R27.72 million were stolen from him during his arrest in Tanzania.
The matter has been postponed to 11 October for further investigations.
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