Correctional Services Commissioner Labels Thabo Bester’s Laptop Request ‘Absurd’
Correctional Services Commissioner Sam Thobakgale has addressed Thabo Bester’s recent request for laptop access, labelling it “absurd” given Bester’s criminal history as a convicted rapist and murderer.
Court Dismisses Laptop Request
According to Zimoja, On Tuesday, the Pretoria High Court dismissed Bester’s application for laptop and Internet access, citing insufficient urgency. Bester argued that he requires a laptop to prepare for his trial set for February 2025, where he faces charges alongside a co-accused.
Bester maintained that the allegations of escape and fraud against him remain unproven.
“I am just one inmate facing numerous allegations in the public eye,” he remarked.
Correctional Services Commissioner Critiques Bester’s Laptop Request Amid Security Concerns
In an interview with eNCA, Correctional Services Commissioner Sam Thobakgale expressed incredulity over Bester’s request for a laptop.
“He used gadgets to kidnap, rape and murder defenceless women out there, but he expects us to adhere to those requests. He has been writing to the Department with other requests that he had and we adhered to them. Unfortunately, we are not going to compromise the security of the country by allowing Thabo Bester to do what he was doing in Mangaung.”
Thobakgale Defends Supermax Conditions, Emphasizing Safety and Standards for Inmates
Commissioner Sam Thobakgale has dismissed allegations made by Thabo Bester, who claims he is being mistreated in prison.
Thobakgale elaborated on the rationale behind Bester’s placement in a supermax facility stating that security remains a priority in managing high-risk inmates.
“He is a danger not only to the correctional system but to communities out there. In the super max you are given your own cell which conforms to the standards of the centre. The inmate is allowed exercise, to go and get food and also given access to psychologists, social workers and even books to read,” Thobakgale stated.