One of the accused in the Hillary Gardee murder case has decided to apply for bail after initially abandoning his first application.
ONE OF the men charged with the murder of Hillary Gardee is set to appear at the Nelspruit Magistrate’s Court this week.
Sipho Mkatshwa has applied for bail after he and his two co-accused, Philemon Lukhele and Mduzuzi Gama, had abandoned their bail applications when they appeared in court earlier this month.
At the time, the State requested that all three suspects be denied bail because of the seriousness of the crime.
Mkatshwa will appear in the Nelspruit Magistrate’s Court on May 24
It is unclear whether the State will maintain its stance when Mkatshwa appears again on Tuesday.
Mkatshwa’s alleged involvement in the murder of Gardee is not the first time he has been on the wrong side of the law.
Prior to his arrest, Sipho was also served with a protection order due to alleged violent behaviour.
The EFF has indicated through a statement that the party’s leadership will accompany the Gardee family to the appearance, in solidarity with Hillary’s father, former EFF secretary-general Godrich Gardee.
Mkatshwa, Gama and Lukhele are charged with murder, rape, conspiracy to commit murder, kidnapping and possession of illegal firearms.
Hillary was reported missing on Friday, April 29. She was reportedly last seen leaving a shopping complex in Mbombela at approximately 5.30pm.
A group of passers-by who were making their way to work found her body in a field about 40km outside Mbombela on Tuesday.
An autopsy revealed Gardee was shot in the back of the head and stabbed multiple times.
The motive for her killing is still unknown.
