Bold Prison Escape or Tragic End?: Inmate ‘s Death at Thabo Bester ‘s Former Prison Shakes Nation
Mangaung Maximum Security Prison is back in the news again for the wrong reasons.
The correctional facility became a household name after convicted murderer and rapist Thabo Bester roped in its staff members and staged an intricate escape.
Thabo Bester ‘s Former Inmate ‘s Tragic Plunge: A Heartbreaking Turn of Events
Now the facility is in the news again after a prisoner, Lefa Thibedi, committed suicide on Monday by jumping from the roof, more than 50 metres, and falling on the concrete floor.
Early this year Thibedi went on hunger strike complaining about the alleged human rights abuse, torture and lack of medical attention for prisoners by G4S officials. Thibedi was eventually taken out of the prison with a stretch to the hospital after he was so weak during the hunger and on Monday he successfully killed himself.
DCS Investigates: Seeking Answers Amidst Grief
The Department of Correctional Services (DCS) confirmed the incident and said it had instituted an investigation into the matter.
DCS said Lefa Thibedi was sentenced to life in 2013 for murder, robbery aggravating and family violence. The inmate had been at Mangaung Correctional since 2015.
In giving an update on what transpired, DCS said Thibedi managed to climb to the truss of the building and threw himself to the ground. The internal hospital treated him before being rushed to an outside hospital, but sadly he passed away. The incident happened at about 08h59 on Monday.
The incident was reported to the SAPS which arrived on the scene. DCS said it will notify other structures, such as JICS as per the appropriate procedure.
A Shocking Footage Circulates: Public Reaction and Speculation
A video showing what transpired has been doing the rounds on X, also known as Twitter. You can watch the incident below:
[GRAPHIC CONTENT] DCS says it’s investigating a suicide incident by an inmate at the Mangaung Correctional Centre in Bloemfontein on Monday.
This is the same prison where #ThaboBester escaped from.#eNCA pic.twitter.com/p4P9aeZoOV
— Silindelo Masikane (@Sli_Masikane) August 22, 2023
Questions and Theories: Challenging the Narrative
When news broke out of the incident, a section of South Africans dismissed the reports of suicide saying that it was an escape attempt. Thabo Bester escaped Mangaung Maximum Security Prison after faking his own death. A fire broke out in an isolation cell at Mangaung Correctional Centre and it was believed Bester was inside.
After frantic attempts to put out the fire, G4S notified SAPS and other officials that Bester was dead and he had killed himself. It later turned out that Bester had planted a corpse in the cell as part of his escape plan.
Social Media Buzz: Controversy and Suspicion
With this in mind, South Africans suggested that Thibedi was attempting to escape prison while others questioned who had taken the video footage and if they were allowed to have a cell phone. Below are some of the comments:
@UberdriverSA:
Is he (camera man) allowed to have a cellphone in prison? 👀
@Kahimba_Ove:
Where’d the camera man get a cellphone from?
@xMrTelephoneMan:
That man was trying to escape, this is masked as a suicide