The trial of a serial murderer who also stands accused of murdering Hillary Gardee, daughter of the EFF’s Godrich Gardee, has been postponed yet again after legal aid failed to provide him with a lawyer.
Rassie Nkuna was set to plead on 12 charges but fired his lawyer on Tuesday, which led to the trial being postponed to Friday for legal aid to find him another lawyer.
However, Adv Malesela Kekana of legal aid told judge Lindiwe Vukeya on Friday that his bosses are organising a judicare lawyer (private lawyer to represent a legal aid client).
“Your worship, my bosses have opted to appoint a judicare attorney; hence, I was asked to request the court that that case be postponed to October 28, next week Tuesday,” said Kekana.
Vuyeka questioned the delays in appointing the judicare lawyer but said the court will have to grant the postponement.
My bosses have opted to appoint a judicare attorney; hence, I was asked to request the court that that case be postponed.
— Adv Malesela Kekana of legal aid
However, if there’s something wrong, the legal aid boss in Mpumalanga will have to come present to the court their problems.
Nkuna is accused of abducting Hillary in April 2022 along with her three-year-old adopted daughter.
The daughter was dumped at Umnenke Street at KaMagugu, Mbombela, where they stayed, while Hillary’s body was found about 60km outside of Mbombela by timber plantation workers the following month.
The trial is merged with the murder case of Nonkululeo Crystal Nkosi, whom Nkuna is accused of abducting and strangling at Sundra in Delmas and leavingfor dead on the side of the road. She was found by a cattle herder who alerted the police.
Nkosi, who was barely alive, managed to show the police their chats with Nkuna on Facebook, which led the police to know who they were looking for.
Nkuna is currently serving a life sentence for the murders of his girlfriend Pretty Mazibuko and her police sister Marcia.
He is also on trial for the murders of Lucky and Sabeliwe Mogashoa in March 2022 in the presence of their one-year-old and six-year-old children.
Sabeliwe was pregnant at the time of the murders.
Sowetan
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