The bail application of a man accused of kidnapping and murdering Hillary Gardee has been postponed to January 6 after his attorney and a witness failed to show up in court on Thursday.
Philemon Lukhele appeared briefly in the Nelspruit magistrate’s court in Mbombela, where his bail application was expected to continue. However, his attorney Lesego Kwaka and a witness, a home affairs official, didn’t show up.
The official was expected to testify on the movements of Lukhele between his country of birth, Eswatini, and South Africa.
Lukhele previously told the court he had not been to Eswatini since his “exile” in South Africa more than 20 years ago.
Lukhele, Sipho Mkhatshwa, Mduduzi Gama and Rassie Nkune face charges of kidnapping, murder, defeating the ends of justice and conspiracy to commit murder, among other things.
The four men remain in custody.
Gardee was found murdered, with visible wounds to her head, on May 2. Her body was found next to a pine plantation 40km outside Mbombela.
She was kidnapped in the town on April 29 while travelling home with her adopted three-year-old daughter. The child was left in the street a short distance from Gardee's home.
Lukhele, Mkhatshwa and Gama were arrested a few days after Gardee's body was found, while Nkune was arrested in August.
TimesLIVE
Hillary Gardee murder accused's bail application postponed as attorney fails to pitch up in court
Image: Mandla Khoza
The bail application of a man accused of kidnapping and murdering Hillary Gardee has been postponed to January 6 after his attorney and a witness failed to show up in court on Thursday.
Philemon Lukhele appeared briefly in the Nelspruit magistrate’s court in Mbombela, where his bail application was expected to continue. However, his attorney Lesego Kwaka and a witness, a home affairs official, didn’t show up.
The official was expected to testify on the movements of Lukhele between his country of birth, Eswatini, and South Africa.
Lukhele previously told the court he had not been to Eswatini since his “exile” in South Africa more than 20 years ago.
Lukhele, Sipho Mkhatshwa, Mduduzi Gama and Rassie Nkune face charges of kidnapping, murder, defeating the ends of justice and conspiracy to commit murder, among other things.
The four men remain in custody.
Gardee was found murdered, with visible wounds to her head, on May 2. Her body was found next to a pine plantation 40km outside Mbombela.
She was kidnapped in the town on April 29 while travelling home with her adopted three-year-old daughter. The child was left in the street a short distance from Gardee's home.
Lukhele, Mkhatshwa and Gama were arrested a few days after Gardee's body was found, while Nkune was arrested in August.
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