A recent court decision has confirmed that the Thabo Bester Showmax documentary will premiere as scheduled, despite legal attempts to block its release.
Court throws Out Thabo Bester and Dr Nandipha’s urgent interdict
In a packed courtroom, the legal battle over the highly anticipated Showmax documentary about Thabo Bester reached its climax.
Bester’s legal team argued that the inclusion of interviews, particularly with Nandipha Magudumana‘s brother Nathi Sekeleni—who has been listed as a state witness—could potentially compromise Bester’s right to a fair trial.
They claimed that while they weren’t seeking to silence Showmax entirely, they demanded a pause on the airing of the docu-series or, at the very least, that interviews directly linked to the trial be withheld until its conclusion.
Similarly, Magudumana’s legal representation raised concerns about whether the documentary’s right to freedom of expression might unjustly override Bester’s right to a fair and unbiased trial, pointing out that the evidence presented through these interviews had yet to be scrutinized in court.
Showmax, on the other hand, maintained that the concerns raised by Bester and Magudumana were rooted more in anxiety and speculation than in any concrete threat to the integrity of the trial.
They argued that interviewing a witness does not inherently prejudice the trial’s outcome, advocating for the court to reject the interdict.
Judge Stuart Wilson ultimately sided with Showmax, dismissing the urgent application brought forth by Thabo Bester and Nandipha Magudumana.
This decision means that the documentary is cleared to air as initially planned, with each party bearing their own legal costs.
When will Thabo Bester Showmax documentary premiere?
With the legal hurdles now cleared, Tracking Thabo Bester is set to captivate audiences in two parts, premiering on consecutive Fridays, the 15th and 22nd of March 2024.
The first part will be available to stream on the platform at 16:00.
The documentary dives into Bester’s shocking escape from prison, despite his convictions for murder and rape, and the whirlwind of media attention that followed revelations of his actual whereabouts.
Produced by IdeaCandy, a company known for its gripping true-crime content, the series is based on the investigative journalism of Marecia Damons and Daniel Steyn.
Their work not only inspired a best-selling book but also won several journalism awards for shedding light on the mysterious discovery of a body in Cell 35 at Mangaung Correctional Centre.
The documentary promises to explore the love, murder, deception, and corruption that tangled Bester and Magudumana in a web of criminality, offering insights from prisoners, wardens, the victim’s family, and experts to provide a well-rounded view of the case.