Thabo Bester Moves To Block Netflix Documentary Ahead Of Release | WATCH Trailer

Convicted rapist and murderer Thabo Bester has launched an urgent application in the Pretoria High Court to stop Netflix from airing its new documentary, Beauty and the Bester. The streaming platform released the trailer on August 20, with the full documentary set to premiere on September 12.

Bester, currently held at Kgosi Mampuru Prison in Pretoria, argues the documentary will infringe on his constitutional rights. He was captured in Tanzania in April 2023 after his dramatic escape from Mangaung Prison in May 2022.

In court papers filed on Tuesday, Bester asked the court to declare the documentary unlawful, defamatory, and damaging to his right to dignity, a fair trial, and the presumption of innocence.

Previous Bid to Stop Showmax Documentary Failed

This is not the first time Bester has tried to prevent a streaming platform from airing content about him. In March 2023, he and his partner, Dr Nandipha Magudumana, failed in their urgent bid to interdict Showmax from releasing its investigative series Tracking Thabo Bester.

At the time, they argued the documentary would compromise the fairness of their ongoing criminal trial.

Bester’s current application echoes these concerns, with his lawyers stating that the Netflix production “prejudices the integrity of the ongoing legal proceedings in the Bloemfontein High Court.”

Netflix Yet to Respond to Bester’s Legal Challenge

In his affidavit, Bester revealed that he and Magudumana were initially approached by Netflix early last year to participate in a documentary. However, he says negotiations broke down, and the project was abandoned.

Despite this, Netflix continued without his involvement. Bester claims the documentary’s direction deviates from earlier discussions and instead focuses on his “vilification.”

“From the trailer it is apparent the documentary included commentary and allegations of a criminal nature against me, that are presented as fact, yet I was not afforded the right to reply,” Bester said.

His legal representatives contacted Netflix, requesting the removal of the trailer and assurances that the documentary would not be published. To date, they say they have received no response.

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“I respectfully submit that unless interdicted the documentary will cause me irreparable harm in that my constitutional rights will be infringed, my reputation and dignity will be harmed and integrity of the ongoing and/or pending legal proceedings in the Bloemfontein High Court will be prejudiced,” Bester told the court.

The High Court is yet to decide whether Netflix will be stopped from streaming the highly anticipated documentary.

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