Inoresatrerreestss…eaš’’ee…atesed
JOHANNESBURG - Three more people are expected to be arrested in connection with the escape of murderer and rapist Thabo Bester from the Mangaung Correctional Centre.
The State told the Bloemfontein Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday that police are finalising cellphone data and bank statements.
Eight people have so far been arrested for aiding Bester to escape in May last year. Free State National Prosecuting Authority Spokesperson, Phaladi Shuping says the case has been postponed to August 8.
Process
Shuping said, “There’s an investigative process under way and once there’s an investigation under way we cannot rule out the possibility of more people being arrested or more charged being added against any of the accused.
“We are hoping that come the 8th of August, we will have an idea as to how many accused and if there’s going top be an arrest and how far the investigations are going.”
On Tuesday, convicted murderer and rapist, Thabo Bester’s lawyers Advocate Jeremiah Pela and instructing attorney, Tsireledzo Ndou recused themselves from the case.
Ndou is facing assault and attempted rape charges, while Advocate Pela faces charges of fraud
The accused in the Bester escape saga appeared at the Bloemfontein Magistrates Court on Tuesday morning. Bester appeared in the court virtually.
LONDON - Desperate family and friends of the five missing on the Titan submarine fear they are ‘losing time’ as experts warn the crew has just 24 hours of breathable air left.
Rescue teams are racing against the clock three days after the deep-sea vessel disappeared near the wreck of the Titanic. Large banging noises had last night been detected in the search area, the US Coast Guard confirmed, but it added that initial attempts to locate the sub using underwater equipment had ‘yielded negative results’.
Nevertheless it sparked fresh hopes that the passengers on board were alive and could be hitting the side of the craft with cups in a frantic attempt to be detected on sonar.
But at 12 500ft – nearly two-and-ahalf miles – below the surface, there are possibly just two vessels on Earth capable of rescuing them.
Last night the US Coast Guard estimated the 22ft long OceanGate Expeditions vessel had just over 40 hours of oxygen left.
The five onboard, which includes British billionaire adventurer Hamish Harding, remain in the dark depths of the Atlantic, which experts have likened to ‘being in space’.
Shahzada Dawood (48), his son Suleman (19), OceanGate’s Chief Executive and Founder Stockton Rush and French submersible pilot Paul-Henry Nargeolet, are also stuck inside.
Above the surface of the wreck five vessels remain on standby helping the frantic search efforts – with four more from the US Coast Guard on their way, including one boat filled with medical personnel, according to marine tracking data.
In a heartbreaking plea this morning, one of Harding’s close friends Jannicke Mikkelsen warned ‘we are losing time’.
She told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: ‘I’m nervous. I’m sick to my stomach with nerves. I’m terrified, I’m anxious. I’m not sleeping at the moment. I’m just hoping for good news. Every single second, every single minute feels like hours.’