Bottles of expensive whisky could to sink former Hard Livings gang boss Rashied Staggie after police arrested him in the company of men with suspected stolen whisky.
Staggie has been on parole since 2014 after serving 13 years for a burglary at a police armoury.
He appeared in the Cape Town Magistrates’ Court on Monday alongside Johannesburg businessman Jayaray Pillay‚ Pillay’s son Mikyle and Joao De Gouveia on charges of possession of stolen property.
Police pounced on the four while they were in luxury vehicles near Canal Walk in Cape Town on Thursday‚ April 21.
The court heard that they had 23 bottles of Johnny Walker Green whisky worth R18400‚ Cuban cigars and British cigarettes in their possession.
According to the prosecution‚ the whisky was part of a batch — worth more than R10-million — that was stolen from a container at a depot in Johannesburg.
Prosecutors intend bringing more charges against the men‚ including negligent handling of firearms after guns were found in the vehicles outside of their holsters.
Staggie and his brother Rashaad were once powerful and influential gangsters on the Cape Flats.
Rashaad was shot and set on fire by members of People against Gangsterism (Pagad) and Gangs in 1996. The image made news headlines around the world.
In a statement handed to court‚ Pillay said he was a businessman in Kempton Park‚ Johannesburg‚ who earned R20000 a month.
He also indicated that he owns a lodge. Pillay said he was found guilty of culpable homicide in 1981 and got a five-year suspended sentence.
“I was with my friend‚ Rashied Staggie‚ at Canal Walk where we ate together‚” the statement said.
“We were in the parking area of Canal Walk when police arrested us for the theft of whiskey.”
Pillay said police claimed that they had stolen the whisky‚ valued at R800 per bottle.
He denied the theft claim‚ saying that his wife Faryana Pillay purchased the whisky at Bull Dog Liquor Distributors in Johannesburg and then the liquor was transported by his son to Cape Town.
All four men denied the allegations. Staggie chewed gum and looked ahead. He said that he had a wife‚ four dependents and earned a R5000 monthly salary as a motivational speaker.
Staggie said in an affidavit: “My release on bail will not endanger the public. I dispute the charges against me‚ I will not influence or intimidate the witnesses.”
The prosecution did not oppose bail. The court granted the four bail of R5000 each and ordered them to appear again on July 11.
Staggie’s criminal past was brought into sharp focus during his court appearance.
He was sentenced to 15 years for kidnapping and rape in 2003 and the following year he was sentence to 15 years for stealing firearms from a police armoury.
The charges ran concurrently.
Whisky could sink former Hard Livings gang boss
Bottles of expensive whisky could to sink former Hard Livings gang boss Rashied Staggie after police arrested him in the company of men with suspected stolen whisky.
Staggie has been on parole since 2014 after serving 13 years for a burglary at a police armoury.
He appeared in the Cape Town Magistrates’ Court on Monday alongside Johannesburg businessman Jayaray Pillay‚ Pillay’s son Mikyle and Joao De Gouveia on charges of possession of stolen property.
Police pounced on the four while they were in luxury vehicles near Canal Walk in Cape Town on Thursday‚ April 21.
The court heard that they had 23 bottles of Johnny Walker Green whisky worth R18400‚ Cuban cigars and British cigarettes in their possession.
According to the prosecution‚ the whisky was part of a batch — worth more than R10-million — that was stolen from a container at a depot in Johannesburg.
Prosecutors intend bringing more charges against the men‚ including negligent handling of firearms after guns were found in the vehicles outside of their holsters.
Staggie and his brother Rashaad were once powerful and influential gangsters on the Cape Flats.
Rashaad was shot and set on fire by members of People against Gangsterism (Pagad) and Gangs in 1996. The image made news headlines around the world.
In a statement handed to court‚ Pillay said he was a businessman in Kempton Park‚ Johannesburg‚ who earned R20000 a month.
He also indicated that he owns a lodge. Pillay said he was found guilty of culpable homicide in 1981 and got a five-year suspended sentence.
“I was with my friend‚ Rashied Staggie‚ at Canal Walk where we ate together‚” the statement said.
“We were in the parking area of Canal Walk when police arrested us for the theft of whiskey.”
Pillay said police claimed that they had stolen the whisky‚ valued at R800 per bottle.
He denied the theft claim‚ saying that his wife Faryana Pillay purchased the whisky at Bull Dog Liquor Distributors in Johannesburg and then the liquor was transported by his son to Cape Town.
All four men denied the allegations. Staggie chewed gum and looked ahead. He said that he had a wife‚ four dependents and earned a R5000 monthly salary as a motivational speaker.
Staggie said in an affidavit: “My release on bail will not endanger the public. I dispute the charges against me‚ I will not influence or intimidate the witnesses.”
The prosecution did not oppose bail. The court granted the four bail of R5000 each and ordered them to appear again on July 11.
Staggie’s criminal past was brought into sharp focus during his court appearance.
He was sentenced to 15 years for kidnapping and rape in 2003 and the following year he was sentence to 15 years for stealing firearms from a police armoury.
The charges ran concurrently.
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