SERIOUS INJUSTICE

THE tragic tale of Hylton Miller is one of the saddest moments in this city’s history.

He was a hard-working family man from South Africa who relocated his loved ones to the Gold Coast for the promise of a better life away from their native crime-ridden South Africa.

Then he was shot in the guts by a random bullet walking along Surfers Paradise’s beachfront one night.

The shot didn’t kill him but it may as well have. It triggered the loss of his health, his business and ultimately led to him taking his life five years on.

Police managed to trace the bullet back to a Surfers Paradise highrise unit. A party had taken place - guests included salesman Rick El Masri at the gathering hosted by Hakan Altinoglu. During the trial both testified and blamed the other for pulling the trigger.

Their girlfriends denied seeing who fired the gun. El Masri was acquitted.

That no one was convicted and brought to account for the shooting of Mr Miller is one of the great injustices and failures of the city court system.