Thabo Bester is South Africa’s most notorious con man. In 2012, he was locked away for life for murder and rape.
But when in 2022, a fire suddenly breaks out in Bester’s cell, and nothing but a charred body remains, the country’s in shock. Is that the end of Thabo Bester?
This is a story about how a serial rapist worked his way into South Africa’s most exclusive circles and about how he almost escaped justice.
Listen to the premiere episode of True Crime Reports from Al Jazeera.
In this episode:
– Glenda Paul, Forensic Investigator at IRS Forensic Investigations
– Marecia Damons, Journalist, GroundUp News
Episode credits:
This episode was written and produced by Anna Staufenberg, and hosted by Halla Mohieddeen.
Executive Producers: Ney Alvarez and Sandra Ferrari.
Production Manager: Archan Mohile.
Senior Producer: Marthe van der Wolf.
Assistant Producers: Leo Danczak, Sophie McNulty and Catherine Nouhan.
Fact-checking by Ruby Zaman.
Audio editing by Alan Leer.
Music composition by Tom Biddle.
Lead of Engagement: Aya Elmileik.
Engagement Producers: Adam Abou-Gad, Munera AlDosari, and Vienna Maglio.
Al Jazeera’s Head of Audio: Ney Alvarez.
![[WARNING: Graphic Content] 12 learners killed in scholar transport accident](https://wp.fifu.app/afroconsciousmedia.com/aHR0cHM6Ly9pLnl0aW1nLmNvbS92aS9LdU83WGZrdEVVYy9tYXhyZXNkZWZhdWx0LmpwZw/1626a8fdbb0e/warning-graphic-content-12-learners-killed-in-scholar-transport-accident.webp?w=480&h=360&c=1&p=19053 "[WARNING: Graphic Content] 12 learners killed in scholar transport accident")
Some people are really smart if only they could use their brains in the right way. To pull off something like this takes a really smart person.
Kindly keep the background music off or too low, we need hear the story, not the music. Thank you
Happy New Year 2025
Nandipha playing victim?
Funny how as it happens you never get to hear all this yet they talk everyday all day.
Not sure who your sources are for your 'estimates' at the start of the video but your stats are complete rubbish. Theres no 63% poverty rate and 40% rape rate. The former is way off, likely based on USD not purchasing power parity of local goods in local currency. There's no famine here although there are struggling people.
The latter (40% rape estimate) is almost impractical. It would basically make it the land of savages from the safest to the most dangerous areas. Why don't you state your sources when making such bold claims as journalists? Is this why you got banned from Gaza?
I was looking forward to watching this but starting off with half truths is no ways to report the news
Yall giveing wrong information Thabo never knew his father Nd his mother also doesn't know his father cause he is a rape child
When did Nandipha meet Bester?🤔🤔🤔😳😳
Any similarities with politicians and business people? It's now so hard to distinguish one from another.
The description of the prison is so off the mark… It's one of the nicest prisons in the country and the prisoners are called Mr…and they are allowed to submit written complaints about their treatment… There's even a Youtube videeo on the prison…look it up… In fact, this video is full of assumptions and stereotypes when it describes things and places!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Fake it till you make it
…or long after you were sent to prison for the rest of your life, and then 21st Century Fox sues you for fraud, but you escape from prison and a whole country thinks you were burned alive, but then you get spotted in a Woolworths with a cheating celebrity figure and soon get caught trying to cross the border into Kenya.
If you don't make it, at least fake it that long.
I love Aljezeera Tv
This is a real documentary 😂😂
That was interesting, and almost unbelievable. It blew my mind!
best journalism to reveal facts
A man called lipolo 😂
Similar to Donald trump but online is – trump is not seen behind bars.
Thabo Bester is my all time South African personality. Not Michael Scofield in a TV show. Bester is real and genius . Shout out to you brother, i wish you've never unalived those sisters
The way she delivers the story is amazing she catches your attention and really connects with the audience she is telling the story to
Not saying what he did was right, but the fraud part? He is a legend for believing he can pull it off and actually manipulating the system. Nonetheless, throw his prison keys away.
The South African journalist mic is killing my ears 🥹
Excellent presenter and journalist. Superb work by the Ground Up journalists.
A con will always find a way to con even behind bars, just appalling and injustice. South African criminal court system is a sham. Domestic violence, rapes, murder etc. It's a failure of the corruption of the government and going downhill. 😔😔😔😔😔 it's just sad and disappointed.
Marecia acting like the hero 😂 This story has changed, too many holes. That picture made waves on Twitter that's how we found out.
Someone was sentenced to prison in Nigeria but instead he paid prison officials and was put in a duplex instead 😂 where he dey enjoy and comes out like nothing after completion only for past videos of him to get leaked where he's making a video call at the time he was in prison
Thabo bester is a genius….
Good story teller in my ears ❤
The thing i dont get is when you out why not just leave for good.
Al Jazeera thank you for sharing
A doctor gives up her career for crime.
Mericia met haar China mall wig focus op die sak maar niks uit te waai met die government wat so geld steel nie. Sy word seker onder die Tafel betaal
Well done !
Why the F…… is his trail taking so long. Because he's got money. Power or inside contacts.
What😮
Excellent work by the al jazeera team . So he managed to escape reaching out to the prison police and one minister also knew that he had escaped prison .What a corrupt country! the reason, the South Africa economy is low, is the corrupt system .
How did he acquaint the rich doctors?
Seriously freaked by her father's role… What kinda father aids and abets the escape of a man convicted of rape and murder, thereby condoning HIS DAUGHTERS RELATIONSHIP with a very dangerous man!
There seems to be the spirit of violence in SA. I pray God heals SA
The presenter is magnificent n awesome l❤❤🎉🎉🎉
😂😂😂😂😂😂Bester is something else lol
Music is high voice is slow
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