Justice served: Life sentences for the killers of Previn Pillay
Previn Pillay was last seen alive in December 2020, leaving his home in his white Toyota Hilux bakkie.
Image: File
The three men behind the gruesome murder and dismemberment of a Pinelands man whose body was found stuffed in a burning suitcase at a train station have been sentenced to life behind bars.
Previn Pillay, 23, from Pinelands, was last seen alive on December 23, 2020, leaving his home in his white Toyota Hilux bakkie.
The bumper of the vehicle was later recovered in Sunbird Park, but the bakkie was never recovered. A week after his disappearance, cops were called to Hazendal train station in Athlone, where a suitcase containing a dismembered body was discovered.
Staff at the station reported seeing a man dragging a large travel suitcase to the station. Moments later, they saw the suspect set the bag alight before running away as smoke began to rise.
Following the gruesome discovery, police arrested Riefaat Loofer, Glenville Jansen, and Franklin van Niekerk.
The court heard that the deceased had been scheduled to meet Loofer at his Sea Point flat for a business meeting, but his vehicle was driven to Matroosfontein.
Loofer and Jansen were present when the victim was fatally stabbed in the back, and his body was discovered days later. Van Niekerk parked the car in Parow and the next day the vehicle was taken to Elsies River, where it was stripped.
During sentencing, the court heard whether the murder had been premeditated despite the accused arguing during the trial that it was sparked in the moment after Loofer and Pillay had an argument over the business.
The court heard that Loofer killed the deceased with common purpose and that it was premeditated as he fetched Jansen, who then stabbed Pillay.
The court heard that the deceased was not only killed, but robbed of his most valuable asset, and till this day Pillay’s head and neck have still not been found after his body was dismembered, and his bakkie has still not been recovered.
An expert witness testified that the victim’s body was deliberately dismembered by a non-professional within 72 hours of his death.
Loofer was sentenced to life imprisonment for murder, 15 years imprisonment for robbery, and 15 years for defeating and/or obstructing the administration of justice.
The court ordered that these sentences are to run concurrently.
Meanwhile, Jansen was sentenced to life imprisonment for murder, and Van Niekerk was sentenced to 10 years for theft.
Detective Lieutenant-Colonel Adrian Pretorius said he is pleased with the sentencing as this was his most difficult case yet.
Pretorius: “We are glad as we investigated this case for five years.”