WATCH | Reiger Park multi-murder suspect out on bail at time of killings
Reagan Collis, the 23-year-old man accused of murdering two police officers and two young women in Reiger Park, Ekurhuleni, allegedly also shot and wounded another person on the same night that the four were killed, according to Hawks spokesperson Col Katlego Mogale on Wednesday.
Details regarding the fifth victim, including identity information and the extent of injuries, were not yet known, Mogale added.
On Wednesday, Collis briefly appeared before the Boksburg magistrate’s court on charges relating to the four murders that took place on Friday night.
Two of the victims were anti-gang unit members, constables Thapelo Tlomatsana and Sphiwe Sibeko, who had been deployed at Reiger Park to help deal with gang-related crimes.
Friends Jaydin Magerman and Rolene Lessing were also shot on the same night.
REIGER PARK KILLINGS | Regan Collis, 23, appears in the Boksburg Magistrate's court for the murder of four people in Reiger Park, Ekurhuleni, on Friday.Video: @MimieShana pic.twitter.com/eXXwAXWAhI
Collis faces four counts of murder, one count of attempted murder, two counts of robbery with aggravating circumstances, a count relating to a contravention of the Firearms Control Act, and owning an unlicensed firearm.
The court heard that Collins had six other pending cases before the same court, some relating to gang killings.
“The suspect, a known gangster, was out on bail at the time of his arrest,” Mogale said.
“He has several pending cases, including facing two counts of murder, two counts of attempted murder and possession of an unlicensed firearm.
“Investigations are ongoing, with police continuing to pursue all those involved. Further arrests have not been ruled out.”
Magistrate Sipho Manana told Collis that should he be convicted on the charges of murder and attempted murder, he faced life imprisonment. “You may be sentenced to life imprisonment for each count.”
Mogale said preliminary investigations showed that authorities had enough evidence to bring even further charges against Collis.
“The details of the fifth victim at this point, I do not have. But we have a case to present when the matter comes back for bail, which we will oppose. We believe Collis was not alone in doing these heinous deeds. We believe there is a possibility of other suspects being arrested, as well as additional charges.”
Mogale said Collis was a well-known gangster in Reiger Park. “The investigators connected the dots as soon as they profiled him. It was found that he has outstanding cases in Reiger Park.
“The majority of those cases are murder as well as robbery with aggravating circumstances. Five of the six of those cases are before the court at this stage.”
Collis is expected back in court on August 25 for a bail application.
Commenting on the court proceedings, Chris Landsberg, family spokesperson for the Magerman family, told Sowetan: “Just because one person has been arrested doesn’t mean this is done. There’s more to come in this story.”
Landsberg, who had earlier said there was suspicion that Magerman and Lessing had been targeted, did not want to say whether Collis was known to the families or not.
“Of course, the police are looking for others that were involved. There is no second-guessing that,” he said.