Public shocked by prison break of Facebook rapist who faked death

GAUTENG – Police say they have launched a manhunt for a convicted rapist who faked his own death in a daring prison break that has shocked the country. Authorities said they had believed Thabo Bester died after setting himself alight in a privately run prison in Bloemfontein in May, but at the weekend, police said DNA tests revealed the charred remains found in the serial rapist’s cell belonged to someone else.

Called the “Facebook rapist”, Bester allegedly lured victims on the social media platform before raping and robbing them. At least one victim was killed. In 2012, he was sentenced to life in prison for rape, robbery and murder. Police said an autopsy revealed the person found dead in Bester’s cell had died from blunt force trauma to the head before being set ablaze. A murder investigation has been opened.

The case has sparked outrage in South Africa, where women’s rights groups have long accused the government of not doing enough to tackle violence against women. “The unfolding of this story has been like a movie and sent shivers down everyone’s spines. … I can imagine what it did to the victims,” said Bafana Khumalo, co-director of the NGO Sonke Gender Justice.

Photographs purportedly showing the convict grocery shopping in an affluent Johannesburg suburb have since surfaced. Some women have also come forward alleging the convict made contact with them on social media. Police have appealed to the public for any information relevant to the case.