Speaking to JJ Tabane on eNCA, Thobakgale said though accused persons were allowed to wear private clothes when appearing in court, he asked Bester to respect the court.
“Those are optics that undermine the criminal justice system and we need to deal with that,” he said.
‘’I went to him [Bester] and told him to respect the court. The officials who were supposed to make sure he does not go to court wearing Louis Vuitton are facing disciplinary action.”
According to the department, an accused person who has not been sentenced has access to their belongings when they go to court and access to hair salon services in prison run by inmates which are part of training programmes.
“There are accredited skills development programmes in the correctional centres that help inmates acquire skills that will make them employable or self-employed,” said department spokesperson Singabakho Nxumalo.
National police commissioner Gen Fannie Masemola has rubbished Bester's claims the state stole his luxury items worth millions.
Masemola said police only confiscated two cellphones and a laptop from Bester and Magudumana when they landed at Lanseria Airport from Tanzania in April.
“Police confiscated two cellphones and a laptop, that's what we know and are aware of. It was the only property given to us by the department of home affairs on his arrival,” he said.
Bester wearing Louis Vuitton in court 'undermines criminal justice system', says commissioner Thobakgale
Correctional services commissioner Makgothi Thobakgale says convicted murderer Thabo Bester wearing luxury items and sharing a “tender” moment with his incarcerated lover Nandipha Magudumana in court “undermines the criminal justice system”.
Bester and Magudumana appeared in the Bloemfontein magistrate's court last week with 10 other accused linked to his escape from Mangaung maximum security prison in May last year.
The lovebirds were seen holding hands and looked happy to see each other and catch up before proceedings got under way.
Magudumana sported a new hairdo while Bester wore a blue and white Louis Vuitton sweater. It is unclear whether Bester's hoodie was authentic.
Previously, Bester wore a Louis Vuitton sweater which, according to an online fashion site, costs $1,655 (R31,100). In May he appeared in a black Burberry hoodie valued at R19,000.
Speaking to JJ Tabane on eNCA, Thobakgale said though accused persons were allowed to wear private clothes when appearing in court, he asked Bester to respect the court.
“Those are optics that undermine the criminal justice system and we need to deal with that,” he said.
‘’I went to him [Bester] and told him to respect the court. The officials who were supposed to make sure he does not go to court wearing Louis Vuitton are facing disciplinary action.”
According to the department, an accused person who has not been sentenced has access to their belongings when they go to court and access to hair salon services in prison run by inmates which are part of training programmes.
“There are accredited skills development programmes in the correctional centres that help inmates acquire skills that will make them employable or self-employed,” said department spokesperson Singabakho Nxumalo.
National police commissioner Gen Fannie Masemola has rubbished Bester's claims the state stole his luxury items worth millions.
Masemola said police only confiscated two cellphones and a laptop from Bester and Magudumana when they landed at Lanseria Airport from Tanzania in April.
“Police confiscated two cellphones and a laptop, that's what we know and are aware of. It was the only property given to us by the department of home affairs on his arrival,” he said.
“We are aware the Tanzanian police told the delegation that went to Tanzania Bester paid a lawyer in Tanzania with watches. We don't know how many. If he had cash on him, how would he pay a lawyer for consultation with watches instead of cash?
“We don’t know about the cash. Maybe he can go and ask in Tanzania. I don’t know, but we are only aware of one laptop and two cellphones in our [offices] where we keep the property of those detained.”
The items Bester claims were taken from him are:
Cash in his possession in different currencies was listed as:
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