Court hears gang retaliation linked to Reiger Park shooting that killed four

A Boksburg Magistrates’ Court heard on Tuesday that rival gang retaliation followed an earlier attempt on a rival’s life and led to the Reiger Park shooting that killed four people. The allegation was made by the state during the bail hearing of three men accused in the incident.

State says shooting was retaliatory

State prosecutor Matthews Rampyapedi told the court the violence stemmed from an earlier attempt on the life of a rival gang member and that other gangs returned to Reiger Park to retaliate. The August 7 shooting claimed the lives of Gauteng Anti-Gang Unit officers Constables Thapelo Tlomatsana, 29, and Sphiwe Sibeko, 28, and two women, Roleen Lessing and Jaydin Margerman.

“This incident happened because there was an earlier attempt on the life of a rival gang,” Rampyapedi said. “So, the other rival gangs were going back now to retaliate, and it resulted in the death of these two gangs. So, it’s not only the community that is outraged, but the rival gangs themselves.”

Note: The prosecutor’s reference to “the death of these two gangs” in court was made during his submissions. The source material makes clear the fatalities were two police officers and two women.

The accused and the charges

The accused named in court are Reagan Cheslin Collis, 23; Jamal Meyer, 24; Elvino Levert Crafford, 27; and Mcfoolen Ford, 26. They face eight counts of murder, two counts of robbery with aggravating circumstances and charges under the Firearms Control Act.

Defence challenges State evidence

Defence lawyer Samkele Kuzani played three video clips and argued the footage supported Collis’ claim that he was at home with friends when the shooting occurred. Kuzani told the court the State’s case was weak and said there was no eyewitness who saw Collis fire a weapon.

“There is no eyewitness who saw Collis pull the trigger, not one,” Kuzani said. “There’s no eyewitness in this case. The State does not have witnesses; their witness is actually my client, Reagan Collis, as they tortured him to confess to the killing. The State’s case is very weak.”

Collis has denied possessing a firearm and told the court he later went outside to assist occupants of a Volkswagen Polo Vivo carrying the two women. He has also alleged he was tortured by police and coerced into a confession.

State disputes alibi, cites CCTV and identification

Rampyapedi rejected the defence footage played in court, saying the original CCTV recordings had been sent to the forensic science laboratory for analysis and that the clips played lacked witness authentication. He said the State could rely on circumstantial or direct evidence and that investigators had CCTV footage showing the accused’s movements.

The prosecutor also said a witness had identified Collis and Meyer and described their alleged roles in the footage. Rampyapedi alleged Collis later helped conceal firearms allegedly taken from the slain police officers.

Fourth accused remanded; bail dates set

Mcfoolen Ford did not apply for bail and was remanded in custody. The magistrate postponed his matter to September 21. The bail hearing for the other three accused was postponed to September 23.

Allegations reported by IOL

According to IOL, a source familiar with the investigation had raised questions about whether Collis was the shooter. The source alleged that another man shot the two women before fleeing in a silver‑grey Volkswagen Polo and that Collis and his associates had a longstanding rivalry with the Sour Boys gang and had received threats hours before the shooting. These allegations, IOL reported, have not been tested in court.

The matter remains before the Boksburg Magistrates’ Court.