Four Former G4s Employees Accused Of Aiding Thabo Bester’s Escape Denied Bail

The Bloemfontein Magistrates Court has rejected bail to four of the five former G4S employees who are accused of helping Facebook rapist Thabo Bester escape from prison last year.

A suspended G4S security guard, a CCTV technician, a former G4S control room operator, and a former G4S supervisor are among them.

However, the court has granted bail of R10,000 to the fifth suspect, a former control room operator who has a “porous” case against her.

They were detained after learning about Bester’s escape in March, over a year after the fire in his cell that led to his original assumption of death.

The judge’s decision was delivered on Monday afternoon by Magistrate Motlhoko Khabisi after their bail applications were heard earlier this month.

“Court is also concerned about these allegations as it appears the offence was committed in cahoots with the people in whom trust was bestowed, that it was committed at a place expected to be secure and a safe place.”

He’s said it was “hard if not impossible to find the personal circumstances of the accused outweigh the interests of justice in this case”.

“I, therefore, find the interests of justice do not permit the release of the applicants number one, number two, number three and number four on bail and as such bail is denied.”

They’re due back in court on 20 June.