Alleged murderer, Jamal Meyer 24, in the Boksburg Magistrate's Court. He, together with Regan Collis, are accused of killing two police officers and two female civilians.
The Hawks say murder accused Regan Collis is being held at Modderbee Prison to protect his life and the lives of police officers connected to the case.
The unusual detention arrangement came under the spotlight in the Boksburg Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday when Collis’ co-accused, 24-year-old Jamal Meyer, made his first appearance facing four murder charges.
Collis and Meyer are accused of killing two Anti-Gang Unit officers and two female civilians during a shooting in Reiger Park earlier this month. The victims were Constables Thapelo Tlomatsane and Sphiwe Sibeko, as well as civilians Jaydin Magerman and Rolene Lessing.
The two young men face serious charges linked to the 7 August shooting, including 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 State is opposing bail, and the matter has been postponed to 25 August for Meyer to be formally joined to the case and for the two accused to bring their bail applications.
Collis Held Away From Boksburg
Defence lawyer Samkele Kuzani, who represents both accused, questioned why Collis was being detained at Modderbee Prison instead of a correctional facility within the jurisdiction of the Boksburg court.
Kuzani argued that Collis should be held at Boksburg Prison and said there had been no proper explanation for keeping him at Modderbee. He also told the court that Collis was unhappy about the arrangement.
“Collis shouldn’t be detained in Modderbee and should be brought back into the jurisdiction of this court, which is Boksburg Prison. He is not supposed to be there,” Kuzani said, adding that his client was unhappy about being held at Modderbee.
“Collis and Meyer should be in Boksburg Prison. What makes everything null and void is that there is no explanation from the State as to why Collis is kept at Modderbee.”
The Hawks later explained that Collis’ placement at Modderbee was not a mistake or an attempt to keep him away from the court. It was reportedly done because of security concerns surrounding the case.
Hawks spokesperson Colonel Katlego Mogale said Collis was being protected from possible harm while also protecting officers involved in the investigation and court proceedings.
“Collis is detained at Modderbee Prison to save his life. We are protecting him and officers around the matter,” Mogale added.
The State said Collis’ family would not suffer unfair prejudice because the distance between Modderbee and Boksburg prisons was similar. State advocate Matthews Rampyapedi also said the decision had been properly taken and that there had been no misconduct by the State.
“There are valid reasons why that was done, and we will put our explanation in future.”
Rampyapedi said the investigating team had requested that Collis be held at Modderbee for reasons that would be explained at a later stage. He also told the court that the State and defence had agreed that Collis should be detained there, although the court had not been told the reasons behind the arrangement.
“The court wasn’t privy to the reasons behind that,” he said.
Meyer Appears In Court
Meyer was arrested on Sunday and appeared in court for the first time on Tuesday. He now joins Collis in the case involving the deaths of the two police officers and the two civilians.
The State alleges that Meyer was linked to the murders after investigators established that he was allegedly present with Collis when the victims were shot.
A source close to the investigation claimed that information provided by witnesses had linked the two men to the killings.
“They know who pulled the trigger, and we are after the gunmen,” the source added.
The claim has not been tested in court, and neither accused has been convicted. The State will still have to present evidence linking each accused to the individual charges.
Kuzani also raised concerns about Meyer’s treatment while he was in police custody. The lawyer alleged that Meyer had been assaulted by police and told the court that the accused had complained of chest pains following the alleged assault.
The State rejected the suggestion that there had been misconduct. The allegations about Meyer’s treatment may be dealt with as the case progresses.
Gang Links Under Investigation
The Hawks are also investigating whether Meyer may be a member of the Vatos Locos gang. Collis is already allegedly linked to the group.
Investigators are examining the possible gang affiliations as part of their efforts to establish the motive and circumstances surrounding the Reiger Park killings.
Vatos Locos is reportedly involved in an ongoing turf war in Reiger Park with a rival group known as the Sour Boys. The alleged gang links remain part of the investigation and have not been proved in court.
The authorities have not made a final finding on the motive for the killings. Investigators are expected to examine the movements of the accused, statements from witnesses and any available evidence from the scene.
The victims were killed during an incident that involved two Anti-Gang Unit officers. Their deaths have placed renewed focus on the dangers faced by police members working in communities affected by gang violence.
The charges against Meyer and Collis also include attempted murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances and unlawful possession of firearms. The four murder charges carry the possibility of life imprisonment if the accused are convicted.
Families Await Answers
The families of the two police officers and the two civilians are now waiting for the court process to establish what happened on the day of the shooting.
Magerman and Lessing were civilians who were allegedly caught up in the attack, while Tlomatsane and Sibeko were members of the Anti-Gang Unit. The case has therefore brought together four victims from the community and law enforcement.
The State’s case will have to explain the sequence of events, the roles allegedly played by the accused and the motive behind the attack. The defence is expected to challenge the evidence during the bail proceedings and later stages of the criminal case.
The dispute over Collis’ detention has added another layer to the case. While the defence wants him returned to Boksburg Prison, the Hawks say keeping him at Modderbee is necessary to protect him and officers involved in the matter.
The State is expected to provide a fuller explanation for the detention arrangement when the case returns to court. The defence will then have an opportunity to respond to the reasons given.
For now, both accused remain behind bars. Meyer’s appearance has formally brought him into the same case as Collis, while the State prepares to oppose their release on bail.
The matter returns to the Boksburg Magistrate’s Court on 25 August. Until then, the accused remain presumed innocent, and the allegations against them still have to be tested before a court.
The next hearing is expected to focus on bail, the State’s security concerns and the evidence investigators say links the two men to one of the most serious recent cases before the Boksburg court.
