Charges against 5th Hillary Gardee murder suspect provisionally withdrawn
Updated | By Anastasi Mokgobu
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) in Mpumalanga has provisionally dropped the charges against the fifth suspect arrested in connection with the murder of Hillary Gardee.
The 28-year-old, who went missing in April, was the daughter of former EFF secretary-general turned attorney Godrich Gardee.
Her body was found dumped in the bushes outside Mbombela in Mpumalanga in May.
The suspect was taken in for question on Sunday afternoon and ultimately charged for defeating the end of justice.
He was expected to appear in the Nelspruit Magistrate’s Court in Mbombela on Wednesday.
However, the NPA decided not to enrol the docket.
The Prosecuting Authority asked the police to bring an expert statement, which will link the suspect to the cellphone and laptop of the deceased.
Police spokesperson Selvy Mohlala says they are confident that the expert will prove the link.
"The NPA did not enrol the docket because they advised us that we must go and get a statement from an expert, now we had to release the suspect, provisionally so.
“But we have the details of the suspect as soon as we have acquired that particular statement we will bring back the suspect to court and submit the docket for enrolment. It is a disappointment but it is also something that will assist us, I think the NPA has to give us this advice, it means that we can continue with the case without any information left behind.
“The suspect was linked to the case through the utilisation of the cell phone and the laptop of the deceased. The expert will be able to explain the possibility of one utilising a line without having the gadget, I think this is something that will assist us," says Mohlala.
Mohlala says the police are aware that the suspect, who is a Nigerian national might be a flight risk.
"We are aware that he might be a flight risk, but we have got his details and we are sure that he will not run away because we will be monitoring his movements and we will be visiting him more often, so we have taken provision to ensure that he doesn't run away," says Mohlala.
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