A Nigerian national is expected to appear in the Nelspruit Magistrate’s Court today (Wed) in connection with the murder of Hillary Gardee.
Mpumalanga police have confirmed that a Nigerian national who is believed to be in his mid-30s was taken in for questioning on Sunday and ultimately charged for defeating the ends of justice yesterday.
“The suspect is linked through the cellphone and the laptop of the deceased, Gardee, and is expected to appear in the Nelspruit Magistrate’s Court tomorrow, Wednesday,” said Mpumalanga police spokesperson Brigadier Selvy Mohlala.
Gardee the daughter of Godrich Gardee, an EFF politician, was reported missing at the end of April and her lifeless, badly bruised body with a bullet wound was recovered in an open field outside Nelspruit in May this year.
Initially three suspects who are linked to the ANC, Philemon Lukhele, Sipho Mkhatshwa and Mduduzi Gama were arrested. They are still in custody for failing to secure bail amid a number of times they have attempted.
This is the fifth suspect arrested in connection with the murder and rape of Gardee.
A fourth suspect, 36, was arrested on Thursday in Kwa-Thema, Ekurhuleni.
He is suspected of being a serial killer, luring women on social media and dating sites before robbing them and killing them on the first date.
According to authorities, the suspect was arrested in connection with the murder of another woman, found dumped in a farm dam in Sandra near Delmas on Sunday.
When the suspect was arrested on Thursday, the police discovered there was a warrant for his arrest for allegedly killing two women in Mpumalanga, one of them a police officer, and her sister, earlier this year.
“I can confirm that we have arrested a fourth suspect linked to the Hillary case and that he is also implicated in other murder cases, including the shooting and killing of two sisters from KaNyamazane, one of whom was a police officer,” Mohlala said.
It is also believed that he was released on parole for another murder case in January this year.
“The linked suspect appeared for another murder in Delmas and a warrant of arrest has been issued. He will appear in court soon,” said NPA Mpumalanga spokesperson Monica Nyuswa.
Meanwhile yesterday two (Gama and Lukhele) of the five suspects arrested in the murder of Gardee took the stand to apply for bail. Their case was postponed to next week Tuesday.
Gama told the court that he had never heard the name ‘Hillary Gardee’ or seen her. He was being cross-examined by his lawyer, Nqobizitha Mlilo, in the Nelspruit Magistrate’s Court.
Gama said since 2019 had worked as a security guard at Lukhele's guesthouse.
ntombi.nkosi@inl.co.za
Additional information IOL/Mzilikazi Wa Afrika