Inside Thabo Bester's prison records: How he turned a maximum security jail into his personal empire

Facebook rapist and killer Thabo Bester's initial time behind bars was defined by failed media and legal campaigns to win his freedom back – but, after he began a relationship with Dr Nandipha Magudumana, he turned a maximum security jail into his personal empire.

Prison records from Bester's time behind bars have revealed not only how he went on a campaign to convince journalists he was not a rapist, but showed how, after becoming involved with Magudumana, he ran multiple businesses, organised events and booked celebrities.

A South African singer, actress and presenter – who Bester had booked to appear at the launch of his fake 21^st Century Media company in June 2018 – spoke to News24 about how he had paid her to appear at events. She would not divulge how much she was paid and spoke on condition of anonymity.