Who bankrolled Bester, celeb doctor lover’s lavish lifestyle?
WITH politically connected neighbours such as President Cyril Ramaphosa, his adviser Bejani Chauke, and Ramaphosa's nephew Morgan Maumela, the R12 million Hyde Park mansion recently reportedly rented out to “Facebook rapist” Thabo Bester remains one of Jozi's most luxurious properties in one of its richest suburbs.
According to media reports, the luxury home recently returned to the market for a rental of about R70 000 a month, with listing agent Bruce Patcha of Patcha Properties saying the property has been on the market since the beginning of last month.
However, the question on everyone's lips was, who was funding the rental of R70 000? Was it proceeds from Arum Properties, or was the couple funded by their politically connected friends?
Two weeks ago, the Sunday Times reported that Bester was living large in Johannesburg under the name Katlego Tom “TK” Motsepe Nkwana and signed some of his lease agreements through video calls with the property managers from prison, while Dr Nandipha Magudumana told clients that her “husband was working overseas”.
It was reported that the rapist and murderer who escaped from the Mangaung Maximum Prison in May last year has been running a scam construction company, Arum Properties, with celebrity doctor and lover Magudumana.
The couple convinced several people to pay millions of rand for construction projects but never delivered the goods.
The Hyde Park property, which occupies 3 000m² of land and allows for a “cutting-edge approach to a traditional style”, boasts five bedrooms, five bathrooms and three garages. The home also has a pool, tennis court and a garden cottage.
A source who spoke to Independent Media on condition of anonymity said Bester was not only a scammer with a silver tongue but also enjoyed political connections, which have made it possible for him to continue doing business – even behind bars.
“That man is heavily connected. He enjoys political connections that continue to sustain him and his schemes even as we speak. How do you explain this life of luxury while on the run from the police?” the source asked.
Others, however, said his scams and association with Magudumana were the source of luxury through their company, Arum Properties.
According to GroundUp, clients of Arum Properties revealed that soon after signing on and paying their deposits, they started to realise that something was amiss.
This was due to the couple's property development scam, which offered clients services that were quoted up to R3 million below other companies in the industry for the construction of luxury homes.
The construction was outsourced to subcontractors, and little work was done.
Media reports also indicated that those who have worked with Bester found him to be difficult to work with, as he had a bad temper whenever clients sought clarity on their investments.
Months before the pair were arrested in Tanzania, Magudumana's social media profile portrayed her as a hard-working woman who was well travelled.