Rapist and murderer who escaped prison by faking death recaptured

A deadly criminal dubbed the “Facebook rapist” whose ingenious plan saw him escape prison has been recaptured 4000km away.

A South African police officer leads Thabo Bester out of the holding cells at the Durban Magistrates Court on October 12, 201. (Photo by City Press/Gallo Images/Getty Images)

A rapist and murdered who faked his own death and then escaped jail has been recaptured 4000 kilometres away and a year after his prison break.

Thabo Bester, who was dubbed the “Facebook rapist” as he used the social media website to lure victims, was arrested in the east African nation of Tanzania.

He had escaped from a jail in the city of Bloemfontein, in South Africa, in May last year.

South African authorities originally thought Bester has died by setting himself on fire in his cell.

But in late March police said DNA tests revealed the charred remains found in his cell belonged to someone else.

On Saturday, South Africa’s justice minister Ronald Lamola said Bester was arrested by Tanzanian authorities on Friday night along with a woman he is reportedly romantically involved with and another person.

Thabo Bester, who was dubbed the “Facebook rapist” as he used the social media website to lure victims, was arrested in the east African nation of Tanzania.

“(We) can confirm that escapee Mr Thabo Bester with his accomplice Dr Nandipha Maguduma (na) along with a Mozambican national have been arrested in Tanzania late last night,” Mr Lamola told a press briefing.

Bester allegedly targeted victims on Facebook before raping and robbing them. He killed at least one victim.

In 2012 he was sentenced to life in prison for rape, robbery and murder.

South Africa’s police minister Bheki Cele said the three were held in the northern Tanzanian city of Arusha, near the Kenyan border, as they attempted to leave the country.

Authorities stopped the black SUV the fugitives were travelling in after it left a hotel. The suspects had arrived in Arusha from Tanzania’s largest city of Dar es Salaam, Mr Cele said The suspects were each in possession of several passports, he added.

Tanzanian authorities identified the third person as Zakaria Alberto.

A South African police officer leads Thabo Bester out of the holding cells at the Durban Magistrates Court on October 12, 201. (Photo by City Press/Gallo Images/Getty Images)

“All are being held by the police,” Tanzania police spokesman David Misime said in a statement.

“Arrangements for legal communications both locally and internationally are ongoing.”

Doubts about Bester’s death were first raised by local media outlet GroundUp in November.

Last month, police opened a fresh murder investigation after an autopsy revealed the body found in Bester’s cell had died as a result of blunt force trauma to the head before it was set ablaze.

The body’s identity is still unknown.

Earlier this week, police raided a villa in an affluent Johannesburg suburb where Bester was thought to have spent time in hiding with Dr Magudumana.

Mr Lamola said a South African delegation will travel to Tanzania tomorrow to bring the fugitives back.

“We are confident that we will receive maximum co-operation from our sister nation, Tanzania, to assist us to bring these fugitives to justice,” Mr Lamola said.

British private security firm G4S, which operates the prison Bester escaped from, has said three employees were dismissed in connection with the incident.