Video footage that the defence says could support the alibis of all three men accused of killing four people in Reiger Park will be submitted to court for viewing, after their lawyer argued that it could cast doubt on their alleged involvement in the deadly shooting.

The defence also told the Boksburg Magistrate’s Court during Monday’s bail hearing that accused number one, 23-year-old Regan Collis, was allegedly tortured by police and forced to confess to the killings.

The matter stems from the August 7 shooting in Reiger Park, in which civilians Jaydin Magerman, 27, and Roleen Lessing, 31, and SAPS Anti-Gang Unit members Constables Thapelo Tlomatsane, 29, and Sphiwe Sibeko, 28, were killed.

Collis, 24-year-old Jamal Meyer and 27-year-old Alvino Crawford were arrested in connection with the crime, and they are facing four counts of murder, one count of attempted murder, two counts of robbery with aggravating circumstances and two counts of unlawful possession of firearms.

Defence wants footage viewed
During the bail application, defence attorney Samkele Kuzani, who represents all three accused, asked the court to allow the submission and viewing of video footage obtained from Collis’ home.

Kuzani argued that the footage could support the alibis of all three accused and demonstrate that they were not involved in the shooting.

He said the footage showed Crawford was not at the scene and argued it could also assist the court in considering Collis’s and Meyer’s versions.

Kuzani said the footage was important in the interests of justice and could show what the accused were doing around the time of the shooting.
The application was granted, with the defence to submit the footage for viewing at a later stage. The State did not oppose the application.

The State, however, said it was not disputing that Crawford had an alibi or that he was not at the scene.
It argued that the footage was limited in scope, showing activity inside a yard at a specific time, and did not capture what happened on the street during the shooting.

The State said the footage could potentially be used during the trial but questioned its relevance to the bail proceedings.

Collis alleges torture and forced confession
The defence also placed Collis’ alleged treatment following his arrest before the court.

According to his bail affidavit, Collis claims he was tortured by police for more than three hours, including having a plastic bag placed over his head, and was forced to confess to killing the two police officers and two women.

He claims he also implicated Meyer during the alleged torture, despite maintaining that Meyer was not involved in the killings.

Collis further claims that he assisted police in locating the firearms taken from the slain officers and maintains that another person, whom he says he knows, was responsible for taking the firearms and remains at large.

The State, however, presented a different version to the court, saying CCTV footage placed Collis and Meyer at the crime scene and that this evidence would be presented during the trial.

It also referred to a pointing-out and an alleged confession by Collis, which the State said led investigators to recover the firearms taken from the two police officers.

The State said the admissibility of the alleged confession and pointing-out would ultimately be determined by the trial court.

All three accused maintain they have alibis
Collis maintains that he was at home with friends when the shooting occurred and says video footage supports his version.

Meyer claims he arrived at the scene only after the shooting and was not involved in the killings.
Crawford maintains that he was at home with his son and mother when the shooting occurred and says his mother will testify in support of his alibi.

Kuzani argued that the footage could assist the court in assessing all three versions and potentially show that the accused were not involved in the killings.

State opposes bail
The State is opposing bail, arguing that it has a strong case against all three accused.

It raised concerns including the seriousness of the charges, outstanding aspects of the investigation, the recovery of firearms, possible interference with witnesses and the potential for further violence or retaliation if the accused are released.

In relation to Collis, the State said CCTV footage placed him and Meyer at the crime scene and disputed the authenticity and significance of footage circulating on social media allegedly showing Collis at home during the shooting.

The State also raised concerns about Collis’ previous cases, alleged gang links, the possibility that he could evade trial and the risk of further violence if he were released.

Regarding Meyer, the State raised concerns about alleged previous criminal conduct, possible interference with witnesses and the risk of further violence or retaliation.

In relation to Crawford, the State said he was linked through an eyewitness account and alleged that he was involved in the concealment and movement of the firearms taken from the slain police officers.

The defence maintains that the State’s case against all three accused is weak and that they should be released on bail.

The bail proceedings have been postponed to September 8, when the defence is expected to submit the video footage for viewing by the court.

Community protests outside court
A strong crowd gathered outside the court during the bail proceedings, with community members, political parties and POPCRU protesting in solidarity with the victims and calling for bail to be denied for the trio.

After Tuesday’s proceedings, protesters said they hoped the accused would remain behind bars when the matter returns to court, arguing that this would help restore peace and stability in the community.

They said there had been no further violence since the arrests, and described residents as living in fear because of the gang the accused are allegedly affiliated with.

Some protesters described the accused as among the most feared gang members in the area and said their continued detention would help residents feel safer.

The claims made by protesters about the accused’s alleged gang affiliations and involvement in previous violence have not been tested in court yet.

Also Read: Reiger Park killings: Trio back in court for bail