Gardee went missing on April 29 last year while shopping at the Nelspruit Plaza with her adopted three-year-old daughter. The child was dropped off in KaMaGugu township that night. Timber plantation workers found Hillary’s lifeless body about 60km outside Mbombela, on the way to Sabie, on May 2.
The accused were Philemon Lukhele, who owned three guesthouses that were used as accommodation for University of Mpumalanga students, a security guard at one of the premises Albert Mduduzi Gama, Sipho Mkhatshwa, an elder at a Roman Catholic Church in Mpumalanga who served as a member of two school governing bodies, and Rassie Nkune, who is also facing murder charges in a separate trial.
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Hillary Gardee murder trial: Charges provisionally withdrawn
Image: Mandla Khoza
The state has temporarily withdrawn charges against the four men accused of killing Hillary Gardee.
Mpumalanga high court judge Takalani Ratshibvumo withdrew the charges on Wednesday after the state revealed it was unable to trace three witnesses.
“This is shocking. When you dealt with case management, the witnesses were available," said Ratshibvumo.
Her father Godrich told TimesLIVE shortly afterwards he had nothing to say at this stage.
Gardee went missing on April 29 last year while shopping at the Nelspruit Plaza with her adopted three-year-old daughter. The child was dropped off in KaMaGugu township that night. Timber plantation workers found Hillary’s lifeless body about 60km outside Mbombela, on the way to Sabie, on May 2.
The accused were Philemon Lukhele, who owned three guesthouses that were used as accommodation for University of Mpumalanga students, a security guard at one of the premises Albert Mduduzi Gama, Sipho Mkhatshwa, an elder at a Roman Catholic Church in Mpumalanga who served as a member of two school governing bodies, and Rassie Nkune, who is also facing murder charges in a separate trial.
TimesLIVE
Support independent journalism by subscribing to the Sunday Times. Just R20 for the first month.
READ MORE:
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Hillary Gardee’s ID book found dumped 6 months after her murder
A runner’s murder in Kenya opens a window into violence against women
LISTEN | ‘I drove past where my daughter was held captive and abused’: Godrich Gardee
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