Boksburg – A 23-year-old man accused of killing two Gauteng Anti-Gang Unit officers and two women in Reiger Park, Ekurhuleni, has told the Boksburg Magistrate’s Court that police allegedly tortured him and forced him to confess.
Reagan Cheslin Collis, who faces four murder charges alongside Jamal Meyer, 24, and Elvino Levert Crafford, 27, made the allegations during his bail application on Tuesday.
According to IOL, Collis said officers placed a plastic bag over his head while he was handcuffed and demanded a confession.
“They put plastic over my head, said I must confess to the crime. This happened for more than three hours,” he told the court.
“I was sure I was dying from this torture,” Collis added.
He said he eventually confessed under duress but later withdrew the statement, insisting he was not involved in the killings.
Three suspects linked to last month’s Reiger Park killings are applying for bail at the Boksburg Magistrate’s Court. Regan Cheslyn Collis, Jamal Meyer, and Elvino Crafford face murder and attempted murder charges. Tune in to #eNCA on #DStv403. pic.twitter.com/vFOBUPnTBo
— eNCA (@eNCA) August 25, 2026
Collis claimed he was at home with friends when the shooting occurred and said CCTV footage would support his alibi.
“I have a defence of alibi and this makes the State case very weak against me,” he said.
He also denied possessing a firearm, saying: “It would be very stupid of me to kill the police officers right in front of where I stay, knowing very well that there are cameras.”
Collis said he went outside after the shooting to help people inside a Volkswagen Polo Vivo.
“In all honesty, I had not shot them. In all honesty, if I had shot them, I would not see the need to help them,” he told the court.
His lawyer, Samkele Kuzani, asked for CCTV footage to be played in court, arguing it would support Collis’s alibi. The State opposed the application, but the magistrate allowed the footage to be shown while permitting the State to rely on the investigating officer’s affidavit.
WATCH: The lawyer representing the three men Advocate Samkele Kuzani wants the court to play CCTV footage obtained during the Reiger Park killings to be viewed before the court
Kuzani says the footage proves that his client’s were not involved in the murder of two Anti-Gang… https://t.co/u1hEDni9NH pic.twitter.com/cFk19O1DKD
— Kaya News (@KayaNews) August 25, 2026
The magistrate nevertheless granted the application for the footage to be played in court while allowing the State to present the investigating officer’s affidavit.
The CCTV claims have previously been reported by The Star, which said footage had allegedly raised questions about whether Collis was the person who carried out the shooting. The report said a source claimed another man, wearing a dark hoodie and red tracksuit trousers, was seen shooting the two women before fleeing in a silver-grey Volkswagen Polo.
The allegations have not been tested in court, and police maintain that Collis is the alleged gunman.
Collis also told the court that he had helped police locate firearms following the shooting.
“I thought I would be a witness in this case, but later the police charged me,” he said.
He said he had no previous convictions but had several other criminal cases pending, including a murder case, two counts of attempted murder and two robbery cases.
Collis said he lived with his mother, grandmother and siblings, was unemployed and had left school after Grade 9. He also has a five-month-old child.
Collis, Meyer and Crafford face four counts of murder, two counts of robbery with aggravating circumstances and charges relating to the Firearms Control Act.
Happening Now 🚨
Three suspects accused of the Reiger Park shooting that killed two Anti-Gang Unit officers and two women appears in the Boksburg Magistrate’s Court for formal bail applications.
The accused are Reagan Cheslin Collis (23), Jamal Meyer and Elvino Levert… pic.twitter.com/0wFayh9ydQ
— MDN NEWS (@MDNnewss) August 25, 2026
The State alleges that the three acted with a common purpose. Meyer and Crafford have also denied involvement in the killings.
Meyer said he was at home when the shooting occurred and only went to the scene afterwards, while Crafford gave a similar account.
Meyer and Crafford told the court they could each afford R2,000 bail, while Collis said he could raise the same amount.
The charges relate to the deaths of Anti-Gang Unit officers Constables Thapelo Tlomatsana, 29, and Sphiwe Sibeko, 28, as well as civilians Roleen Lessing and Jaydin Margerman.
Police said the officers were conducting crime-prevention patrols in Reiger Park when they heard gunshots and drove towards the area, where they were allegedly ambushed.
The arrests have drawn significant attention because Collis was already facing several pending criminal cases at the time of his arrest. TimesLIVE previously reported that he had six outstanding cases before the Boksburg court.
The bail hearing is continuing.
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Compiled by Glaan Sibuyi
