Thabo Bester’s Last-Minute Court Bid To Stop Netflix’s Beauty And The Bester

Convicted killer and rapist Thabo Bester, alongside Dr Nandipha Magudumana, has made a last-minute dash to the Pretoria High Court to halt the release of Netflix’s explosive documentary Beauty and the Bester.

Their lawyers argue that the series unfairly casts Bester as guilty in his upcoming trial and could fatally compromise his right to a fair hearing. The pair is accused of masterminding Bester’s daring 2023 escape from Mangaung Prison, where he was serving a life sentence.

Bester’s Lawyers Warn of Witness Bias

Bester’s legal representative, Moafrika Maila, told the court the documentary risks influencing witnesses who are set to testify.

“Even if the judges are independent, the witnesses are not independent. Witnesses are human beings with emotions. There will be witnesses in this trial who must speak the truth. Once they saw the documentary, they will definitely be influenced,” Maila argued.

The defense wants the series postponed until after the trial concludes.

Netflix Says Facts Cannot Defame Bester

Netflix, however, has pushed back. Advocate Tembeka Ngcukaitobi argued that the documentary cannot be defamatory since it relies on facts already established in court.

“It is an impossible argument to run – Thabo Bester is a rapist and was sentenced to life, and is also a murderer. The fact that the documentary repeats that he is a rapist and murderer cannot defame him,” Ngcukaitobi told the court.

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Judge Suet Potterill will deliver a ruling on Friday at 8:30 a.m.—just half an hour before the documentary’s scheduled premiere.

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