Cape Town – Two of the men accused of killing Hillary Gardee were reportedly seen loading her into a vehicle, the Nelspruit Magistrate’s Court heard on Tuesday.
According to reports, Investigating officer Colonel Thamsanqa Mkhaliphi took the stand and said that a state witness saw the third accused Albert Gama, and accused number two Philemon Lukhele loading the body into Lukhele’s vehicle.
It remained unclear whether she was dead or alive at the time
Mkhaliphi revealed this during a bail application by Gama.
“The accused [Gama] cannot be released on bail because his life is in danger, and the witnesses know him but he doesn’t know them. So if released he will know their identities.
“There’s a witness who saw the applicant and accused two [Lukhele] when they were loading the deceased in one of accused two’s vehicles but it was not clear if the deceased was already dead, or alive,” said Mkhaliphi,” Times live quoted Mkhaliphi as saying.
ALSO READ | Fourth suspect in Hillary Gardee murder case ‘has allegedly confessed to killing her’, says report
According to News24, during the bail application, Gama was almost in tears, shaking his head sideways.
His sister, Sibongile Gama cried, as she sat in the public gallery.
She was seated behind Hillary’s family members, the report said.
Hillary went missing on April 29 after a shopping trip to a Spar near her home in Mbombela, Mpumalanga.
She was found dead in a field outside Mbombela, Mpumalanga on May 3 with a gun wound on her head.
Suspects Sipho Lawrence Mkhatshwa, Philemon Lukhele and Gama were arrested and charged with murder, rape, conspiracy to commit murder, kidnapping and possession of illegal firearms.
Gama’s bail hearing was set to continue on September 13.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
