News24.com | Hillary Gardee's alleged killer gets life sentence for murdering two Mpumalanga sisters

Hlabirwa Rassie Nkuna

The man who allegedly confessed to the murder of Hillary Gardee has been sentenced to life behind bars for the murder of two Mpumalanga sisters.

The sentence comes after Hlabirwa Rassie Nkune pleaded guilty to the murder of Pretty Mazibuko, 42, and her sister Marcia, 43, on 15 May in Kanyamazane, outside Mbombela, last year.

Marcia worked as a police officer at the Ngodwana police station in Kanyamazane and Pretty was Nkune's girlfriend.

Nkune shot Pretty multiple times before turning the gun on her sister.

He went on the run, but was arrested at his hideout in Springs on 11 August for the murder of another woman in Mpumalanga. He is expected to stand trial next year for that murder.

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During his arrest, he allegedly confessed to Gardee's murder. However, charges against him and his co-accused in that matter were provisionally withdrawn last month because witnesses could not be traced. 

In handing down the sentence for the murder of the sisters, Judge Takalani Vincent Ratshibvumo said that in his plea statement, Nkune failed to give the court genuine reasons for the murders.

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