‘Cellphone found again’: New twist in Reiger Park murder case as bail judgment delayed - IOL

Reagan Cheslin Collis, Jamal Meyer, Elvino Levert Crafford and Mcfoolen Ford appear in the Boksburg Magistrate's Court as their bail judgment is postponed to October 6.

The Boksburg Magistrates’ Court has heard that Reagan Cheslin Collis, accused number one in the Reiger Park murder case, allegedly continues to contravene correctional services rules and was found in possession of a cellphone while behind bars for the second time.

Collis, 23, and his three co-accused - Jamal Meyer, 24; Elvino Levert Crafford, 27; and Mcfoolen Ford, 26 - face charges arising from the deaths of two police officers and two women in Reiger Park.

The four appeared briefly in court on Wednesday, where their bail judgment was further postponed to October 6.

Both the State and defence agreed to the postponement.

Prosecutor Leswikane Mashabela told the court that the State had received correspondence from Boksburg Correctional Services concerning Collis’ alleged conduct while in custody.

“Once again, it is said that a cellphone was found from accused number one,” he said.

Mashabela said Correctional Services considered the possession of a cellphone a security risk and it could result in a further risk assessment of Collis.

Possible disciplinary measures could include solitary confinement, because Collis allegedly continued to contravene correctional services rules and regulations.

Mashabela said he had only recently received the information, but wanted the court and the accused to be aware of the allegation.

This is not the first time Collis has allegedly been found with a cellphone while in custody. 

He has previously denied the allegation.

Collis’ attorney, Samkele Kuzani, argued that the latest allegation should not be taken into consideration in the bail judgment.

“Your Worship, that speaks about the character of my client,” Kuzani said, adding that the allegation had been placed on the record but was not part of the bail application.

He argued that the information was premature and should not form part of the court’s consideration when determining bail.

Mashabela responded that the matter had been raised because it came from the correctional facility and could result in measures being taken against Collis.

Kuzani confirmed that Collis, Meyer and Crafford agreed to the October 6 date.

Ford’s attorney, Viara Thatcher, also confirmed the agreement.

She asked the court for an opportunity to file written heads of argument before the next hearing.

The magistrate granted the postponement, and all four accused remain in custody.

Ford will remain at Modderbee prison, while Collis, Meyer and Crafford will remain at Boksburg Correctional Services.

The men have indicated that they can afford bail of R2,000 each.

The accused face eight counts of murder, two counts of robbery with aggravating circumstances and charges under the Firearms Control Act.

The charges stem from an August 7 shooting in Reiger Park that claimed the lives of Gauteng Anti-Gang Unit officers Constables Thapelo Tlomatsana, 29, and Sphiwe Sibeko, 28, as well as civilians Roleen Lessing and Jaydin Margerman.

All four accused have claimed that police forced them to confess to the alleged killings.

During the bail hearing, the State alleged that the shooting followed an earlier attempt on the life of a rival gang member.

It is alleged that the rival gang returned to Reiger Park to retaliate, resulting in the deaths of the four victims.

The State also alleged that Collis helped conceal firearms taken from the slain police officers. 

The State said CCTV footage showed the accused’s movements and that a witness had identified Collis and Meyer and described their alleged roles in the shootings.

Kuzani previously played three video clips in court which he said supported Collis’s claim that he was at home with friends when the shootings happened.

“There is no eyewitness who saw Collis pull the trigger, not one,” Kuzani said.

Collis has denied possessing a firearm and alleged that police tortured him for more than three hours and forced him to confess to the killings and implicate Meyer.

The State questioned the evidentiary value of the clips, saying the original CCTV recordings had been sent to the forensic science laboratory for analysis.

It says that no witness had been called to authenticate or explain the footage, and that it could rely on circumstantial as well as direct evidence to implicate the men.

IOL previously reported that a source familiar with the investigation questioned whether Collis was the shooter.

The source alleged that another man shot the two women before fleeing in a silver-grey Volkswagen Polo. It was also alleged that Collis and his associates had a longstanding rivalry with the Sour Boys gang and had received threats hours before the shooting.

Those allegations have not been tested in court.

The four accused will remain in custody until the bail judgment is delivered on October 6.