Bester, Magudumana’s attempts to stop Showmax doccie from airing fails

JOHANNESBURG - Streaming service Showmax has been given the green light to broadcast its highly anticipated documentary titled Tracking Thabo Bester. 

The High Court in Johannesburg dismissed Facebook rapist Thabo Bester and his alleged lover Nandipha Magudumana’s application to stop the four-part docu-series from broadcasting. 

It emerged that one of the state witnesses in Bester’s upcoming trial featured on the documentary, which his lawyers said may infringe on his rights to a fair trial. 

Bester’s lawyers argued that the Showmax documentary contained crucial evidence that should first be heard in court during his trial. His legal team stated that while Bester had been convicted of other crimes, he reserved his rights to a fair trial, which he says could be infringed by the series. 

At the same time, Magudumana’s legal team argued that Showmax stood to make a profit from broadcasting a documentary produced without her consent. 

But the streaming service told Judge Stuart Wilson that content in the documentary was public knowledge and had been widely reported by news outlets. 

In his judgment, Wilson stated that Bester and Magudumana’s lawyers failed to prove their rights to a fair trial will be infringed. 

The documentary is set to air at 4pm on Friday.