Hillary Gardee Murder Accused Applies for Bail, Gives Alibi at Time of Kidnapping, Murder, “I Was at Church”
- One of the Hillary Gardee murder accused wrote an affidavit for his bail application and claims that he is innocent
- Sipho Mkhatshwa's affidavit was read out by his lawyer advocate Sifiso Silindza on Thursday 2 June
- He claims that when Gardee disappeared he was with his gardener and when she was murdered he was at a church
PAY ATTENTION: Follow Briefly News on Twitter and never miss the hottest topics! Find us at @brieflyza!
MPUMALANGA - One of the men accused of murdering Hillary Gardee told the court that he was nowhere near the slain woman when she was abducted and killed.
Sipho Mkhatshwa who claims to be innocent, made his case to apply for bail at the Mbombela magistrate's court on Thursday 2 June.
Source: UGC
His affidavit was read out by his lawyer advocate Sifiso Silindza. In his sworn statement, Mkhatshwa, detailed his movements over the course of the days when Gardee was reported missing on 29 April until her body was found on 3 May, SowetanLIVE reported.
He testified that he is a dedicated father and was planning his wedding when Gardee was reported missing. Gardee is the daughter of former Economic Freedom Fighters’ secretary-general Godrich Gardee. Her death sparked anger throughout the country.
PAY ATTENTION: Follow us on Instagram - get the most important news directly in your favourite app!
He claims that when Gardee disappeared at 5:30pm he was with his gardener and on the day, she was murdered he was at a church. Mkhatshwa and two other men Philemon Lukhele and Albert Gama are accused of the kidnapping, rape and murder of Gardee. He stated that the police are torturing him into confessing to the crimes and implicating his co-accused, TimesLIVE reported.
SA not buying it
Social media users were not convicted with the murder accused’s statements:
Thabang Robert Bobo said:
“The problem occurs when you know the time of a heartless and cruel activity.”
Goodwill Dumezweni Masuku posted
“How does he know the exact time when she was killed?”
Saidie Jaftha commented:
“When you were at church preparing for your wedding, how are you then implicated in this murder or are you spinning a story here?”
Thabiso Maps Leroy said:
“Give him a bail, I want to see something.”
Hillary Gardee murder accused claim to have been tortured by police to implicate EFF deputy Floyd Shivambu
In a related matter, Briefly News also reported 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
