Bloemfontein – 16 May 2025
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has welcomed the decision of the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) to dismiss Dr Nandipha Magudumana’s appeal challenging the legality of her arrest and deportation from Tanzania to South Africa in April 2023.
The SCA’s majority judgment, delivered on 16 May 2025, confirmed an earlier ruling by Judge Phillip Loubser of the Free State High Court, who had dismissed Dr Magudumana’s application in June 2023. The court had previously found no merit in her argument that her arrest and return to South Africa were unlawful.
While the SCA judgment was not unanimous — with a minority judgment supporting Magudumana’s appeal — the NPA has expressed satisfaction with the overall outcome.
“The NPA welcomes the judgment of the Supreme Court of Appeal dismissing the deportation appeal by Dr Nandipha Magudumana. We remain committed to ensuring that justice is not only done but is seen to be done, especially given the serious nature and societal impact of the alleged offences,” the authority said in a statement.
Dr Magudumana, along with her co-accused, is set to face trial before the Free State Division of the High Court in Bloemfontein from 21 July to 19 September 2025. The accused face 38 charges, including fraud, corruption, money laundering, aiding the escape of a prisoner, violating a corpse, arson, and obstruction of justice.
The charges stem from the high-profile prison escape of convicted rapist and murderer Thabo Bester, who allegedly faked his own death and fled the country with Magudumana before being apprehended in Tanzania.
The NPA has pledged that the prosecution team will now focus on preparing for the trial, ensuring that proceedings move forward without undue delay.
“The seriousness of the charges and their implications for the rule of law require that we proceed efficiently and fairly,” the statement added.
