WATCH: Showmax ‘vigorously defends’ publics right to see the Thabo Bester doccie series

Showmax has defended the publics right to see their soon to be released documentary titled Tracking Thabo Bester.

This comes after the lawyers for Nandipha Magudumana, the girlfriend of the Facebook rapist and murderer demanded that the Multichoice group hand them a copy of the documentary

Magudumana faces charges of fraud, corruption, aiding and assisting a prisoner to escape, arson and the violation of bodies relating to the escape of Bester from prison in May 2022.

Watch the trailer of the Tracking Thabo Bester documentary

Defending publics right

MultiChoice which owns Showmax confirmed to The Citizen it has received letters of demand served by Bester and Magudumana, in an attempt to stop Showmax airing of the four-part documentary.

“Given the extremely serious allegations against Bester and his co-accused and the overwhelming public interest in the matter, Showmax believes it is important that members of the public see this programme and form their own view.

“Showmax will vigorously defend the right of the public to do so. As a responsible media platform, Showmax has taken all necessary steps to ensure that our documentary adheres to the standards of journalistic integrity and ethical reporting,” Multichoice said.

Multichoice added it will continue to monitor the situation closely and provide updates as necessary.

ALSO READ: Magudumana wants to stop release of ‘Tracking Thabo Bester’ doccie

“irreparable harm”

In the letter of demand, Magudumuna’s lawyers argue the streaming of the documentary series may cause “irreparable harm” and give rise to claims for damages in respect of which Bester’s girlfriend  expressly reserves all her rights, in to.

“This is in order to establish if there are indeed any issues which may prejudice her rights, failing which, an urgent application will be brought in the High Court of South Africa, including but not limited, to interim interdictory relief to stop the streaming of the documentary series and any other material related thereto,” Magudumana’s lawyers said in the letter of demand.

Tracking Thabo Bester

The four-part investigation of the Tracking Thabo Bester series screens in two halves on Showmax on 15 and 22 March 2024.

The first episode of Tracking Thabo Bester follows GroundUp journalists as they investigate an anonymous tip off that the burnt body at Mangaung Correctional Centre may not have been Bester.

Subsequent episodes look at why Bester was called the Facebook rapist and in jail originally; how a celebrity doctor fell for a convicted criminal and left her children behind to go on the run with him to Tanzania; and who really died in Cell 35.

Arrest

Bester and Magudumana were arrested in April, about 10km out of Arusha in Tanzania, after fleeing the hotel they were staying in.

The Facebook rapist escaped from the Mangaung Correctional Centre (MCC) in Bloemfontein in May 2022, after it was initially believed he had committed suicide by setting himself alight in his cell.

ALSO READ: Thabo Bester and Dr. Nandipha Magudumana arrested in Tanzania