Hillary Gardee murder: Suspect in court for bail hearing

Accused number one in the Hillary Gardee murder case Sipho Mkhatshwa during his first bail application at Nelspruit Magistrate’s court.Picture: Oupa Mokoena/African News Agency (ANA)

Accused number one in the Hillary Gardee murder case Sipho Mkhatshwa during his first bail application at Nelspruit Magistrate’s court.Picture: Oupa Mokoena/African News Agency (ANA)

Published Jun 2, 2022

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Johannesburg – One of the suspects accused of murdering Hillary Gardee will appear at the Nelspruit Magistrate’s Court today.

Sipho Mkhatshwa has applied for bail after he had initially abandoned his bid for bail during his first appearance last month, and he was remanded in custody.

At the time, the State requested that he and his two co-accused be denied bail due to the seriousness of the crime they are being accused of.

It is unclear whether the State will maintain its stance when Mkhatshwa appears today.

Mkhatshwa’s alleged involvement in the murder of Gardee is not the first time he has had a run-in with the law.

Prior to his arrest, Mkhatshwa was also served with a protection order due to violent behaviour against members of his family.

The EFF has indicated, through a statement, that the party’s leadership will be present to support the Gardee family during Mkatshwa’s bail hearing.

The party has called for Mkhatshwa to be denied bail.

One of his co-accused Philemon Lukhele has been moved to a maximum security facility after he was found with a cellphone in prison.

The Department of Correctional Services said: “The Department of Correctional Services (DCS) can confirm that remand detainee Philemon Lukhele was found to be in possession of a mobile phone on May 24, 2022 at the Nelspruit Correctional Centre. Mobile phones are classified as a contraband inside correctional facilities, thus making them unauthorised items.”

Sipho Lawrence Mkhatshwa, Mduzuzi Gama and Philemon Lukhele are charged with murder, rape, conspiracy to commit murder, kidnapping and possession of illegal firearms.

All three men are due to appear in the Nelspruit Magistrate’s Court on June 9.

The 28-year-old daughter of the EFF’s former secretary-general, Godrich Gardee, went missing in April, and her body was discovered near Sabbie in Mpumalanga.

An autopsy revealed Gardee was shot in the back of the head and stabbed multiple times.

The motive for her killing is still unknown, but court documents reveal that the suspects may have been planning the crime since January.

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