Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi told the media in 2023, that Maria Mabaso, the mother of Thabo, was never able to register her son after giving birth to him.
On 3 May 2022, Bester was declared dead after a fire broke out in his cell at Mangaung Correctional Centre in Bloemfontein and a body was found, burned beyond recognition.
In October 2022, South African news agency GroundUp published an article by Marecia Damons raising questions about the investigation into Bester's death.
[14] On 15 March 2023, GroundUp published a third article, by Marecia Damons and Daniel Steyn, revealing evidence that Bester had faked his death in the fire and escaped from prison.
[15] The article also mentioned a court case brought by Nandipha Magudumana, a celebrity doctor, to get the body found in the cell, which was believed to be that of Bester at the time, returned to her.
On 17 March 2023, Damons and Steyn published another article containing pictures of Bester and Magudumana shopping in a Woolworths grocery store in Sandton City.
[19][20] In testimony before parliament in April 2023, Inspecting Judge for Correctional Services Edwin Cameron said that he was the source of information leaked to GroundUp.
Minister of Home Affairs, Aaron Motsoaledi said that when Bester was caught in Tanzania in April 2023, he was found in possession of an American passport under the guise of Tom Williams Kelly.