The fifth suspect in the murder of former EFF secretary-general Godrich Gardee’s daughter, Hillary, has been released due to insufficient evidence.
Mpumalanga police spokesperson Selvy Mohlala said the National Prosecuting Authority [NPA] decided not to enroll the case on Wednesday. “The NPA has advised that we acquire the expert’s statement and we have since released the suspect like we have been instructed,” said Mohlala.
The Nigerian national was arrested on Tuesday and was due to appear at the Nelspruit magistrate’s court on Wednesday on charges of defeating the ends of justice.
Hillary was raped and murdered in Mbombela, Mpumalanga after she went missing on April 29 while shopping with her adopted three-year-old daughter. The toddler was safely returned to her home at KwaMagugu later that day.
Three other men – Sipho Mkhatshwa, Philemon Lukhele and Albert Gama – were arrested for Gardee’s murder days before her burial early in May.
Mkhatshwa has since been denied bail while Lukhele and Gama are expected to apply for bail in September.
The fourth suspect, who was arrested last week, will soon appear in court. He has been appearing for different other matters in various courts.
