A South African murderer and rapist sentenced to life in prison, Thabo Bester, was captured in Tanzania along with his girlfriend and another person after faking his own death to escape from a maximum-security prison in South Africa in May 2022. For nearly a year, Bester and his girlfriend reportedly lived in an upscale Johannesburg suburb until police began following him in April. The fugitive was arrested after a two-week police chase, and several fake passports were seized.
Bester was believed to have died in an arson attack on his cell, but DNA tests revealed that the body found in the cell belonged to someone else. An autopsy revealed that this individual had died prior to the fire from head trauma. It is believed that Bester managed to escape from the prison with the help of some prison officials. The prison was managed by a British security company, and the South African government has announced that it will not renew the contract.
A group of South African officials is already in Tanzania to arrange the extradition of the three detainees. Bester had been convicted of murder and rape in 2012 and had been in prison for several years prior to his escape. South African police have commended Tanzanian security forces for their assistance in the capture of Bester and his accomplices. This case has drawn attention to the security of South African prisons and led to a review of security procedures and prison management.