The murder accused in the Reiger Park shooting case has alleged that police assaulted him during his arrest, prompting the court to order a medical examination while the Hawks await a J88 report.

The accused, 24-year-old Jamal Meyer, was arrested on Sunday (August 16) and made his first appearance in the Boksburg Magistrate’s Court yesterday (August 18), reports Boksburg Advertiser.

Meyer faced the same charges as his co-accused, 23-year-old Regan Collis: four counts of murder, one count of attempted murder, two counts of robbery with aggravating circumstances and two counts of unlawful possession of firearms.

The charges stemmed from a shooting on August 7 in which two women and two members of the Provincial SAPS Anti-Gang Unit were killed, leaving residents gripped with fear.

During Meyer’s brief court appearance, his lawyer, Samkele Kuzani, told the court that police had allegedly assaulted his client during his arrest.

Kuzani said Meyer had suffered lacerations and bruising and complained of sharp pain in his chest. He asked the court to order that Meyer receive medical attention.

The court granted the request and ordered that Meyer be medically examined while in custody.

Kuzani indicated that the alleged assault would be raised when Meyer returned to court for his formal bail application on August 25.

Speaking to journalists after the proceedings, Hawks spokesperson Colonel Katlego Mogale said the medical examination would help determine whether the injuries claimed by the accused were sustained during his arrest.

“The explanation for the alleged injuries would most likely be handled by the Independent Police Investigative Directorate, depending on the findings,” Mogale said.

More arrests possible

The Hawks said the investigation remained ongoing and that more arrests could not be ruled out.

Mogale said investigators were still working to identify and trace other possible suspects linked to the killings.

The Hawks were also investigating whether Meyer had any links to gangs in Reiger Park.

“It’s still under investigation. We have to check his profile on our systems and be able to ascertain whether or not he is part of a gang or he was being initiated,” Mogale said.

Meyer claimed no previous cases

During the proceedings, Meyer’s defence told the court that he had no previous convictions or pending criminal cases and that this was his first criminal case.

Meyer was detained at Boksburg Prison, while Collis was held at Modderbee Correctional Services for safety reasons.

The two accused were expected to be joined in the same matter when they returned to court on August 25 for their formal bail applications.

The state indicated that it would oppose bail.

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