Reiger Park murder accused to learn bail fate at Boksburg court

Four men accused of killing two police officers and two women in Reiger Park in August are due to learn whether they will be granted bail after the Boksburg Magistrate’s Court reserved judgment and postponed the ruling to Tuesday, October 6.

Who is before the court

The accused are Reagan Cheslin Collis, 23; Jamal Meyer, 24; Elvino Levert Crafford, 27; and Mcfoolen Ford, 26. They face charges arising from an August 7 shooting in Reiger Park that left four people dead: Gauteng Anti-Gang Unit Constables Thapelo Tlomatsana, 29, and Sphiwe Sibeko, 28, and civilians Roleen Lessing and Jaydin Margerman.

The men face four counts of murder, two counts of robbery with aggravating circumstances and charges under the Firearms Control Act. All four have claimed that police forced them to confess to the alleged killings, and they have indicated they can afford bail of R2,000 each.

Recent court steps and postponement

The accused last appeared in court on September 23. The bail judgment was moved to October 6 after both the state and defence agreed to the postponement. Defence counsel for the accused asked for time to file written heads of argument before the next hearing.

Allegation of cellphone in custody

During the latest proceedings the court heard that Collis, described in court as accused number one, was allegedly found in possession of a cellphone while in custody. Prosecutor Leswikane Mashabela told the court the state had received correspondence from Boksburg Correctional Services about Collis’ conduct and that the alleged possession of a cellphone could be treated as a security risk and might prompt a further risk assessment or disciplinary measures.

Collis’ attorney, Samkele Kuzani, objected to the allegation being considered in the bail application, saying it spoke to the character of his client and was not part of the bail record. The attorney said the information was premature and should not influence the court’s decision. Mashabela said the state raised the matter because it came from the correctional facility and could result in measures being taken against Collis.

State case and defence challenges

The state told the court it alleges the shooting followed an earlier attempt on the life of a rival gang member and that a retaliatory return to Reiger Park led to the deaths of the four victims. The state also alleged that Collis helped conceal firearms taken from the slain police officers.

The prosecution said CCTV footage showed the men’s movements on the night of the murders and that a witness had identified Collis and Meyer and described their alleged roles in the shootings. The state said the original CCTV recordings had been sent to the forensic science laboratory for analysis and noted it could rely on circumstantial as well as direct evidence.

Defence counsel disputed the state’s case. Kuzani played three video clips in court which he said supported Collis’ claim that he was at home with friends when the shootings occurred and argued there was no eyewitness who saw Collis pull the trigger. Collis has denied possessing a firearm and has alleged that police tortured him for more than three hours and forced him to confess and implicate Meyer.

Allegations reported by IOL about other leads

According to IOL, a source familiar with the investigation questioned whether Collis was the shooter and alleged another man shot the two women before fleeing in a silver-gray Volkswagen Polo. According to IOL, the source also alleged Collis and his associates had a longstanding rivalry with the Sour Boys gang and had received threats hours before the shooting. These allegations have not been tested in court.

What happens next

The Boksburg Magistrate’s Court is expected to deliver its bail judgment on Tuesday, October 6, resolving whether the four accused will be released on bail.