Supreme Court Upholds Dismissal of Nandipha Magudumana’s Deportation Appeal

“This is not merely a prosecution of individual misconduct, but a case that has far-reaching implications for the rule of law in South Africa,” said the NPA.

The Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) has dismissed the deportation appeal of Dr. Nandipha Magudumana, a disgraced medical professional entangled in one of South Africa’s most shocking criminal sagas. The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) welcomed the judgment as a critical affirmation of the legality of Magudumana’s return to South Africa and a step forward in the pursuit of justice.

Magudumana, who was arrested in Arusha, Tanzania, in April 2023 alongside convicted rapist and murderer Thabo Bester, had been challenging the legality of her deportation, arguing that it constituted an unlawful extradition. Her legal team had insisted that her removal from Tanzania violated international legal norms, and sought to have the process declared unconstitutional and set aside.

However, the Supreme Court has now upheld the 2023 ruling by Judge Loubser of the Free State High Court, who rejected Magudumana’s claim and affirmed the legality of her return. The High Court had determined that despite her arguments, there was no legal basis to declare her deportation unlawful.

“The NPA’s prosecution team will now focus on ensuring that the trial set down for 21 July to 19 September 2025, before the Free State Division of the High Court in Bloemfontein, proceeds without any unreasonable delay,” the prosecuting authority stated on Friday.

Magudumana’s arrest followed an intense international manhunt after Bester, known as the “Facebook rapist,” escaped from the Mangaung Correctional Centre in a daring and gruesome operation that included a staged fire and the planting of a burnt corpse in his cell. The case stunned the nation and exposed serious vulnerabilities in the country’s correctional and justice systems.

Investigations revealed that Magudumana, once a prominent and respected aesthetics doctor with a celebrity clientele, had allegedly used her professional status and access to orchestrate or facilitate elements of Bester’s escape. She and several others, including officials from correctional services and private contractors, now face a total of 38 charges.

These charges include fraud, corruption, money laundering, assisting an inmate to escape from lawful custody, violating a corpse, arson, and obstruction of justice. The NPA emphasized that these allegations strike at the heart of South Africa’s legal framework and the integrity of its institutions.

“This is not merely a prosecution of individual misconduct, but a case that has far-reaching implications for the rule of law in South Africa,” said the NPA. “The crimes alleged are grave, and the public expects and deserves accountability. Justice must not only be done, but must also be seen to be done.”

With the SCA ruling now clearing the path for trial preparations to proceed unhindered, the NPA reiterated its commitment to ensuring that all accused persons face the full force of the law. The upcoming trial promises to draw intense public and media interest given the sensational nature of the case and the broader implications for criminal justice and state accountability in South Africa.

The case has already led to internal inquiries into the Department of Correctional Services and highlighted the potential for collusion between prisoners and individuals both inside and outside the system. As the country awaits the proceedings in July 2025, the spotlight remains on whether the state will be able to secure convictions that reaffirm public faith in the justice system.