Bail hearing for Hillary Gardee murder accused postponed

From left: Mduduzi Gama, Philemon Lukhele and Sipho Mkhatshwa, accused of killing Hillary Gardee.

The three men accused of murdering Hillary Gardee stand in the dock during their bail application at the Nelspruit Magistrate’s Court. Picture: Oupa Mokoena/African News Agency (ANA)

Published Aug 8, 2022

Share

Rustenburg - The bail application of two of the three men accused of killing Hillary Gardee was postponed at the Nelspruit Magistrate’s Court in Mpumalanga on Monday.

Philemon Lukhele and Mduduzi Albert Gama were set to continue with their bail application but it was postponed to August 16. The two appeared briefly in court.

Television news channel Newzroom Afrika reported that the bail application was postponed due to the ill health of the presiding magistrate.

Lukhele, Gama and Sipho Mkhatshwa are accused of killing the daughter of former EFF secretary-general Godrich Gardee in April this year.

Mkhatshwa, who is accused number one in the matter, was denied bail last week, with the magistrate stating that he might contact witnesses and he was a flight risk.

According to SABC radio station SAfm, Mkhatshwa was arrested after a traditional healer tipped the police off that Mkhatshwa had consulted him for cleansing, stating that he had killed a woman.

Following his arrest, Lukhele and Gama were arrested.

Hillary Gardee, 28, was found murdered near a plantation four days after she went missing on April 29 in Mbombela, formerly Nelspruit. She had gone shopping with a three-year-old child at the time of her disappearance.

The child was not hurt and was dropped off near to their home on the same day that Gardee went missing.

IOL