Western Cape police are appealing for help in finding the friend of a Pinelands man whose headless body was found in a suitcase dumped at Hazendal Train Station in December.
Police have confirmed that the dead man was Previn Pillay, 29, who was reported missing three months ago.
Cops are now looking for his friend Refaat Loofer, 45, who was last seen with him, and who could possibly shed light on his grisly murder.
According to a poster by the Western Cape Missing Persons Unit, Pillay was last seen on 23 December 2020 leaving his home in Pinelands in his white Toyota Hilux bakkie.
The bumper of the vehicle was later found in Sunbird Park, but the bakkie was never recovered.
A week later cops were called to Hazendal Train Station in Athlone where a mutilated body was found in a suitcase.
At the time, staff at the station saw a man dragging a large travel suitcase to the subway.
They saw the suspect setting the bag alight, it started smoking, and they rushed over to put out the fire.
The suspect ran away.
That is when they discovered that the suitcase contained a dismembered body.
The head and one arm were missing from the corpse.
According to a police source, DNA tests were done and it was revealed to be Previn’s body. At this stage his head has still not been found.
Police spokesperson Sergeant Noloyiso Rwexana says Provincial Organised Crime detectives are seeking assistance to trace Loofer, who is a person of interest in a murder case.
“A murder case was opened for investigation and a person of interest has been identified as Refaat Loofer, 45, who was the last person in the company of the deceased.
“Police believe he might have information that can assist them in solving this murder case.
“The person of interest is believed to be around Elsies River, Bonteheuwel and Goodwood.”
Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Loofer is asked to call Lieutenant-Colonel Adrian Pretorius on 082 777 8499.