NELSPRUIT – The men accused of killing Hillary Gardee will be receiving medical attention after claiming they were tortured while in police custody.
The accused in the Hillary Gardee case are Sipho Mkhatshwa, Philemon Lukhele and Mduduzi Nkala appeared in the Nelspruit Magistrates Court on Monday morning in connection with the 28-year-old’s murder.
The daughter of the Economic Freedom Fighters’ former secretary general Godrich Gardee went missing last month, and her body was found days later in bushes in Sabie.
Philemon Lukhele is an employee at the office of the chief whip of the ANC in Mpumalanga and is the owner of the vehicle that was used to commit the crime. He also owns a guest house close to Hillary’s house.
The trio has been charged with conspiracy to commit murder as well as murder, kidnapping, rape, possession of an unlicensed firearm and defeating the ends of justice.
The men will not be applying for bail, at least for now, but they did tell the court of how they were allegedly tortured while in police custody.
The court has ruled that they be held at the Nelspruit Prison where they will receive medical attention.
They will stay there until their next court appearance next month
