WHY DID SHE DO IT?

The brother of the woman who went on the run with criminal Thabo Bester can’t come to terms with his sister’s actions 

- NASIFA SULAIMAN

THE woman in the mugshot is worlds apart from the one who often posted pictures of lavish overseas holidays, fancy cars and a wardrobe full of designer clothes. She looks like she’s been crying, isn’t wearing any makeup and is dressed in a hoodie, sweatpants and sneakers. 

The flamboyant lifestyle of 33-year-old Nandipha Magudumana, once an aesthetic doctor to some of SA’s most beautiful women, is over. For weeks she was the country’s most-wanted women, on the run with SA’s most-wanted man, Facebook rapist and murderer Thabo Bester. 

They were finally hunted down in Tanzania and brought back to face the music – and Nandipha is facing multiple charges, including aiding and abetting Bester’s escape, murder due to “a number of bodies found”, violation of corpses and fraud. 

Bester, who was already serving a life sentence, is back behind bars and is facing more charges, including defeating the ends of justice, violating a body and fraud. If his alleged accomplice is found guilty, she too could face a lifetime in jail. 

Those who know Nandipha are stunned at her alleged involvement in what’s been called the most brazen prison break the country has seen. 

Martin Essenwood, a former acquaintance of the doctor, took to social media to share his shock. “Such a great personality, well-mannered and such a charm. Are you sure they got the right person?”