Evander Regional Court Magistrate Charmaine la Marque has dismissed the appeal of Reghard Elmes (23) today, December 15, in the Evander Regional Court.

He remains in custody.

Elmes, a former security officer, was sentenced on November 12 to seven years in prison for murder.

The matter will now proceed with a petition to the Chief Justice of the Mpumalanga High Court in Middelburg.

No further details are available on when the petition will be filled.

Elmes was recently found guilty of murdering a man in a shooting incident on Nelson Mandela Drive in Secunda on November 23, 2022.

See Magistrate La Marque’s sentencing article here: https://www.citizen.co.za/ridge-times/news-headlines/2025/11/19/elmes-23-gets-7-years-for-murder-2/