Bester’s lawyers will return to court after eBongweni prison transfer bid fails

Thabo Bester’s lawyers said they will be returning to court after their failed bid to have him transferred from the eBongweni Super Maximum Correctional Centre in Kokstad.

Bester approached the High Court on Tuesday on an urgent basis, but his matter was struck off the roll.

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They are challenging his transfer to the country’s only maximum-security facility.

In her judgement on Tuesday, Judge Mamoloko Kubushi was critical of the stringent time frames that Bester gave Correctional Services, only affording them a day to file answering papers.

Bester’s lawyers said the matter warranted extreme urgency because they are not able to consult with him for his main trial, which returns to the Free State High Court in March.

His attorney, Inolofatseng Morero, said based on the judge’s reasons for striking their matter from the urgent court roll, they will be bringing another application.

“The only issue the judge has with us today is the time frames because the application was issued last week, Monday, and then we set it down for a hearing today, so the court is of the opinion that the time frames were not sufficient.”

Bester’s lawyers said his transfer from the eBongweni Super Maximum Correctional Centre is crucial for his ability to plan his defence for his main prison break trial.