Pretoria – A man, in his mid-30s, who was taken for questioning in connection with the Hillary Gardee murder did not appear before the Nelspruit Magistrate’s Court as anticipated.
Mpumalanga police spokesperson, Brigadier Selvy Mohlala, said the suspect has been provisionally released from custody.
“A Nigerian national who was taken for questioning on the afternoon of Sunday 14 August, 2022 and charged for defeating the ends of justice, did not appear in court today as the case was not enrolled. As a result, the NPA has advised the police to obtain a statement from an expert,” Mohlala said.
“The suspect has been provisionally released and as soon as the necessary information has been acquired, he will be subpoenaed to appear again.”
Earlier this week, the police in Mpumalanga said the unidentified man would appear in court on Wednesday, following his arrest after he was linked through the cellphone and the laptop of the deceased. According to reports, the suspect was found with gadgets belonging to the slain woman.
So far, five people including the Nigerian suspect have been arrested in connection with the murder of former EFF secretary-general Godrich Gardee’s daughter.
Sipho Mkhatshwa, Philemon Lukhele and Mduduzi Gama were arrested after Hillary Gardee, 28, was found murdered near a plantation.
She went missing on April 29, when she went shopping in Mbombela, formerly Nelspruit. She was with a 3-year-old child.
Lukhele and Gama continue with their bid for release on bail in the Nelspruit Magistrate’s Court this morning. Gama has told the court that he will plead not guilty to the charges, and he had never met Gardee.
Lukhele is yet to take the stand in the ongoing bail application.
Mkhatshwa has since been denied bail.
A fourth man, Hlabirwa Rasie Nkuna, 36, was arrested last week in Springs, Gauteng province.
He allegedly confessed to the police during his arrest that he fired the shot that killed Hillary Gardee.
Nkuna was wanted for allegedly killing three other women in Mpumalanga.
He is facing charges of robbery with aggravating circumstances, murder, possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition.
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