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Eye witness to testify in Hillary Gardee’s murder case

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The investigating officer in the Hillary Gardee murder case, Thamsanqa Mkhaliphi has told the Nelspruit Magistrates’ Court that an eye- witness will testify that he saw Mduduzi Gama and Philemon Lukhele loading the deceased in a vehicle.

Gama and Lukhele  were arrested alongside Sipho Mkhatshwa for the murder of Gardee. Gama is one of the four accused arrested, he is facing charges that include kidnapping, murder, rape, defeating the ends of justice and conspiracy to commit murder.

Gardee’s body was found in a timber plantation a few kilometres outside Mbombela.

Hillary Gardee laid to rest:

The state had called their first witness Thamsanqa Mkhaliphi to testify in the bail application of Mduduzi Gama. Although Mkhaliphi told the court that a witness saw Gama and Lukhele loading the body of Gardee in a vehicle, he could not confirm whether the victim was already dead or alive while being loaded to the vehicle belonging to Lukhele.

However, Mkhaliphi added that Gama is not a flight risk and he cooperated with the police during the arrest.

Gama’s bail application has been postponed for the investigating officer to verify two addresses Gama gave to the court in support of his bail application. The hearing has been postponed to next week Tuesday.

Lukhele had abandoned his bail application.

Meanwhile, the fourth suspect, Rassie Nkuna who was arrested last month will join the three other accused for the first time on the dock on Friday.

In the video below, one of the accused abandons bail:

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