Dr Nandipha Magudumana has been denied bail by the Bloemfontein Magistrates’ Court.
The disgraced doctor will remain behind bars after the court found that she is a definite flight risk.
Magudumana was arrested in April, alongside her longtime lover Thabo Bester, for allegedly aiding the rapist and murderer escape from prison.
Magistrate Estelle de Lange says Magudumana will have more means to help Bester break from prison again if released on bail.
The issue of Magudumana being in possession of two other passports that did not belong to her featured prominently in the Magistrate’s ruling.
“Magudumana was in possession of two other passports other than her own. The owner of these passports made an affidavit, saying her passports were taken under false pretenses.”
The Magistrate did not waver in dismissing Magudumana’s claims that she was forced to flee the country with Bester.
“She apparently left her businesses and her family with Bester and was found in Tanzania While she claims she was kidnapped; the evidence doesn’t support that claim. She elected not to disclose the details of her alleged kidnapping by Bester. There should be no reason why she doesn’t want to disclose this information to the court. Magudumana had the duty to show the court why her release is in the interests of justice and that she’s not a flight risk.”
Magistrate de Lange says Magududmna knew that she wouldn’t come back after fleeing.
“The evidence points to the fact that she left the country voluntarily. I find she is definitely a flight risk, and there are no bail conditions to limit this risk. She didn’t satisfy the court that she should be released. Therefore, the bail application is denied.”
Magudumana is currently in police custody on charges of defeating the ends of justice as well as aiding and abetting a prisoner to escape from lawful custody.
At least 12 people have been arrested in connection with Bester’s brazen escape, including the doctor’s father and former G4S employees.
They will all return to court in October.
The NPA in the Free State says the possibility of more arrests and more charges in the case cannot be ruled out.