An internationally wanted criminal was arrested in Arusha, Tanzania on Saturday, April 8, as he tried to sneak into Kenya.
South Africa had asked for international help for the manhunt of Thabo Bester after it was revealed that he had escaped from prison where he was serving a life sentence.
Bester had almost made a clean escape from prison after he faked his own death.
"We can confirm that escapee Thabo Bester with his accomplice Nandipha Maguduma along with a Mozambican national have been arrested in Tanzania late last night," South African Justice Minister Ronald Lamola announced immediately after the arrest.
It is believed that with the help of the Mozambican national, Bester was sneaking into Kenya with his lover Maguduma.
In March 2023, South African authorities discovered that they had been duped by Bester.
He had earlier been reported to have died by setting himself on fire inside his cell.
Subsequent DNA tests showed that the charred remains did not belong to Bester initiating a continental manhunt.
Bester had been sentenced to life in prison on rape, robbery and murder charges.
During his sentencing, he was found guilty of befriending people on Facebook and then assaulting them.
It is yet to be established whether the person found burned in Bester’s cell was killed inside the prison as his identity is still unknown.
South Africa in a statement revealed that it will send a delegation to Tanzania on Sunday, April 9, to start the repatriation process.
"We are confident we will receive maximum cooperation from our sister nation, Tanzania, to bring these fugitives to justice," the statement read in part.
