EFF Accuses Hillary Gardee's Murder Suspect of Using ANC Influence to Smuggle a Cellphone Into Prison
- The Economic Freedom Fighters want the prison officers involved in the smuggling of a cellphone to Hillary Gardee's murder suspect to be apprehended
- The party has criticised the Department of Correctional Services for delaying the process to confirm that Philemon Lukhele was in possession of a phone while in custody
- The Red Berets added that Lukhele, who is a suspended member of the African National Congress is using his political influence to make a mockery of the justice system
PAY ATTENTION: Follow Briefly News on Twitter and never miss the hottest topics! Find us at @brieflyza!
MBOMBELA - The Economic Freedom Fighters has called the correctional service's official who smuggled a phone in for one of Hillary Gardee's murder accused to be arrested.
The political organisation says that Philemon Lukhele, a suspended member of the African National Congress, received a cellphone while in prison at the Nelspruit Correctional Centre.
Source: Twitter
According to TimesLIVE, the Department of Correctional Services stated that Lukhele was found in possession of a cellphone last Tuesday. They have now launched a criminal investigation against him.
However, the EFF also wants the prison official who handed him the phone to also face criminal charges. In a statement issued over the weekend, the EFF says there is a clear indication that the state is aiding an accused circumvent the law.
PAY ATTENTION: Follow us on Instagram - get the most important news directly in your favourite app!
The EFF also criticised the Department for taking three days to issue a public statement on the matter adding that the deal proves there is corruption in the prison system.
“Corruption in correctional facilities fatally undermines the character of these institutions as places that should ensure those who break the law are punished and rehabilitated,” read the statement.
The EFF alleges that Lukhele is using his ANC connections to make a mockery of the justice system and the Gardee family.
Lukhele and two others, Albert Gama and Sipho Mkhatshwa, were arrested in connection wih the murder of Gardee, who is the daughter of the EFF's former general-secretary Goldrich Gardee. They are also facing charges of kidnapping and rape.
Hillary Gardee murder accused claim to have been tortured by police to implicate EFF deputy Floyd Shivambu
Briefly News previously reported that one of the suspects arrested for the murder of Hillary Gardee claims that police are allegedly torturing him. He held at the Nelspruit Correctional Centre.
Philemon Lukhele wrote a sworn statement where he claimed the police wanted him to implicate Economic Freedom Fighters’ deputy president Floyd Shivambu for Gardee’s murder.
The former EFF secretary-general Godrich Gardee’s daughter is believed to have been held captive at Lukhele’s guest house. The two other accused Albert Gama and Sipho Mkhatshwa also have made similar claims of waterboarding, suffocation, and electric shocks. A copy of the statements sent to IPID is in the possession of TimesLIVE. The claims are being investigated by IPID.
Source: Briefly News
