Gangster gets 20 years in jail for shootings
A CONVICTED gang member was sentenced in the Port Elizabeth Magistrate’s Court yesterday to an effective 20 years behind bars after endangering the lives of six people during two shootings.
Wayne Pillay, 42, believed to be a member of the Dust Lifes gang, showed no reaction when magistrate Marie Viljoen convicted and sentenced him on six counts of attempted murder and two counts of illegal possession of ammunition.
In two different incidents, less than three weeks apart, Pillay fired shots at Keenan Miggels in gangrelated incidents.
In December 2013, he shot at Miggels in broad daylight in Durban Road, Korsten, with no regard for innocent bystanders.
In January last year, he again opened fire on Miggels, this time in Highfield Road, Schauderville, hitting him three times. Miggels survived the incident and identified Pillay as the shooter.
Pillay claimed he was innocent, saying he was targeted because he was a witness in a shooting incident where Miggels was a suspect.
Viljoen, however, said Pillay’s actions were inexcusable and said he placed the lives of innocent people at risk while furthering the agendas of a notorious street gang.
“Those innocent people did not know who was shooting or why the shooting took place. All they could do was look for cover and fear for their lives.”
She could not convict Pillay on two counts of illegal possession of a firearm as no weapon was ever recovered.
He was sentenced to 10 years for the attempts on Miggels’s life and a further 10 years for the attempted murder charges of four innocent bystanders.
He was sentenced to a further five years for the illegal possession of ammunition, to be served concurrently with the 10 years for shooting at Miggels. Pillay’s effective sentence was 20 years in jail. Provincial police commissioner Lieutenant- General Celiwe Binta stressed that gangsterism had to be stamped out.
“Gangsterism needs to be rooted out and this is an excellent example of how it can be done. The police welcomes the sentence and congratulates the detectives and the state prosecutors for a job well done.”