Convicted murderer and rapist Thabo Bester and his co-accused are expected to appear in the Free State High Court in Bloemfontein on Friday for case management proceedings ahead of their highly anticipated trial.
Bester, who escaped from the Mangaung Correctional Centre in May 2022 after allegedly faking his death in a prison cell fire, was arrested in Arusha, Tanzania, in April 2023 alongside his partner, Nandipha Magudumana, after months on the run.
Magudumana is currently being held at the Bizzah Makhate Correctional Centre, a women's prison in Kroonstad.
She and several other accused are facing a range of charges linked to Bester's escape, including aiding and abetting his escape from custody, fraud and defeating the ends of justice.
Friday's proceedings are expected to focus on trial preparations and administrative matters ahead of the start of the main trial, which is scheduled to commence on 20 July.
Both Bester and Magudumana are expected to appear virtually, while the remaining accused are anticipated to appear either in person or via video link.
The case has drawn widespread public attention since Bester's dramatic escape and subsequent arrest, with authorities alleging that a network of accomplices assisted him in evading justice.