Dr Nandipha’s legal team confident she will walk scot-free. Themba Diba, the attorney for Dr. Nandipha Magudumana, is confident that his client will be exonerated of all allegations.

That’s all I can say,” Diba told The Citizen, adding that he was confident in his client’s case.

He was unable to say with certainty what defense his client will use. Magudumana, who was wearing a grey sweatshirt, sat silently in the dock while waving at family members, some of whom cried, including her father Zolile Sekeleni, who had also accompanied her there.

Dr Nandipha’s legal team confident she will walk scot-free

Proceedings

She was being photographed and filmed by journalists while her hands were being massaged and her legs were chained. Family members called her by clan names and urged her to be strong while they snapped photos and films of her.

Guards from the department of corrections, many of whom wear balaclavas to conceal their faces, and heavily armed police officers were present in court.

Following the escape from jail of her killer and rapist boyfriend Thabo Bester, Magudumana, Sekeleni, former prison warder Senohe Matsoara, and CCV technician Teboho Lipholo are accused with murder, thwarting the administration of justice, and aiding and abetting a criminal.

Bail granted 

In an unexpected turn of events, the state withdrew the murder allegations against Sekeleni, and he was freed on a R10,000 bail.

His release from custody was subject to the requirements that he refrain from making direct or indirect contact with witnesses, refrain from obstructing investigations, and appear once a week at the Port Edward police station.

Diba stated that he thought Magudumana will be freed during the hearing for hee bail scheduled for May 3 and 4. When asked whether the state had falsely accused Magudumana’s father of murder, he said: “It should be asked to them why exactly they charged him.”

Phaladi Shuping, a spokesman for the National Prosecuting Authority in the Free State, stated that the decision not to object to bail was based on the information provided to them.

There has been a public outcry over the fact that the state frequently arrests people before conducting an investigation, which weakens their case in court. Those with access to money also appear to be granted bail more readily despite being flight risks.

There have been concerns raised about whether Sekeleni wouldn’t follow Bester and Magudumana in fleeing accountability in South Africa when they were apprehended in Tanzania.

Asked if Sekeleni was not a flight risk, Shuping said: “We live in a constitutional democracy and there is a criminal procedure that we have to follow. We are not going to oppose bail just because of a previous incident that we had nothing to do with and the person we are dealing with.

“We are dealing with one case at a time, we treat any chance with its own circumstances, currently they are exceptional circumstances as to why he must be released on bail.

We took consideration of those circumstances hence we decided not to oppose bail. “There are consequences for any person who fails to adhere to bail conditions. If the person skips the country, there is a procedure that we must follow in bringing the person back.

In this instance, we are hoping he will respect his bail conditions.” Shuping said the state has a strong case. ActionSA provincial chair Patricia Kopane said Bester’s escape was a clear indication that there were deeper things and the more investigations were done, this would be revealed.

“This case clearly shows how our justice system is dysfunctional,” she said. “It is obvious criminals walk for months and months on the streets without the intervention of our police.

The fact that Bester’s victims were not informed of his escape is frightening. In this nation, criminals can operate freely.

“We need to get to the bottom of what happened and people must be held accountable. Nandipha and these other people owe South Africa so much, we need to know exactly what happened.”