The fourth accused linked in the kidnaping and killing of Hillary Gardee, Rassie Nkuna, made a brief appearance in the Nelspruit Magistrate’s Court on today.

His appearance only lasted five minutes and the matter postponed to September 9, when he will join his three other co-accused in the matter.

The other three accused, Sipho Mkhatshwa, Philemon Lukhele and Albert Gama, have appeared in court several times in a bid to get bail.

Nkuna was arrested on August 11 in Springs, Gauteng after he had allegedly been on the run following the killing of a police officer and her sister on May 15 in KaNyamazane.

Upon his arrest, Nkuna was linked to yet another killing of a 27-year-old woman, Nonkululeko Nkosi, which happened in Delmas.

For this case, Nkuna appeared in the Delmas Magistrate’s Court on August 15.

The following day Nkuna appeared in the KaNyamazane Magistrate’s Court on double murder charges following the KaNyamazane killing incident.

The National Prosecuting Authority in Mpumalanga said through its spokesperson, Monica Nyuswa, that it was confident that Nkuna is connected with the Gardee murder, after positively linking him to the murder and with the three other suspects.

On Monday, the other three accused, Mkhatshwa, Lukhele and Gama, made yet another appearance, and their defence team argued for the matter to be struck off the court roll. Their request was denied.