The body that was originally thought to be that of notorious South African rapist, Thabo Bester, has been identified as Katlego Bereng Mpholo.
Katlego’s father, Batho Mpholo, is demanding answers regarding the death of his son, whose body was used by Thabo Bester to escape from prison.
Thabo Bester broke out of prison in 2022 after faking his own death by setting fire to his cell.
Initially, the body found inside was believed to be Bester’s, but it has now been identified as belonging to Mpholo.
Thabo Bester was re-arrested in Tanzania on Friday 7th April 2023.
According to police, Mpholo collapsed in the city of Bloemfontein and died in hospital before being taken to a mortuary.
However, Mpholo’s father questions how Bester was able to get hold of his son’s body if it was in a government mortuary. He says that he and his relatives searched for Mpholo in Bloemfontein’s mortuaries, but there was no sign of him.
Mr. Mpholo says he does not believe the police account of what happened to his son, who was 30 years old when he went missing in April 2022.
In March 2022, suspicions were raised by local media about the body found in Bester’s cell, and it was re-examined. It was discovered that the person had died as a result of blunt-force trauma to the head.
Mr. Mpholo has described his son as a fun-loving soccer fan who leaves behind a daughter aged four and a son aged two.
He has stated that he will sue the state for answers about his son’s death.
The South African police declined to comment on Mr. Mpholo’s statement.
