The dramatic arrest of suspended Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department (EMPD) Deputy Chief Julius Mkhwanazi on Friday, 17 July, has added another chapter to the growing R14.9 million Killarney precious stones theft case that has already implicated several law enforcement officers and featured prominently before the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry.
Mkhwanazi, who has repeatedly denied wrongdoing in relation to allegations made at the commission, was arrested alongside another suspect linked to the investigation after spending weeks under intense public scrutiny following testimony by a Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department officer known only as “Witness K”.
According to the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID), the pair are among five suspects wanted in connection with the alleged theft of precious stones valued at almost R14.9 million from a Killarney apartment in Johannesburg. They are being held at Germiston Police Station and are expected to appear in court on Monday, 20 July.
The case centres on an incident on 11 February 2023, when a group allegedly conducted an unlawful raid on businessman Peter Prinsloo’s apartment in Killarney. IPID alleges the officers searched the property without a warrant, unlawfully seized six boxes containing sugilite and manganese stones worth nearly R14.9 million, and failed to register the exhibits at a police station as required by law. Investigators further allege that one of the accused falsely presented himself as a police officer while some officers operated outside their area of jurisdiction.
IPID spokesperson Lizzy Suping said investigators believe the alleged raid formed part of a coordinated plan to steal the valuable stones.
The investigation gained national attention after Witness K testified before the Madlanga Commission, alleging she participated in planning the operation with Mkhwanazi and other officers. During her testimony, she claimed that proceeds amounting to about R110,000 were allegedly shared equally among several individuals after the raid. Mkhwanazi has denied the allegations made against him before the commission.
Mkhwanazi’s arrest on Friday came after IPID had already arrested three other suspects earlier this month.
Among those arrested are EMPD officers Adrian MacKenzie and Kersha-Leigh Stols, who appeared in the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court on 16 July. Both were granted bail of R5,000 each and are expected back in court on 25 August as the investigation continues.
Another suspect, a woman, handed herself over to police after investigators initially failed to locate her during coordinated raids. She made her first appearance shortly after her arrest.
Private security officer Etienne van der Walt had also initially been linked to the investigation, but charges against him have since been withdrawn. A sixth suspect connected to the broader investigation died in October last year before he could be prosecuted.
The precious stones investigation is separate from, but closely linked to, evidence being heard at the Madlanga Commission, where allegations of corruption, abuse of power and organised criminal infiltration within law enforcement agencies have dominated proceedings.
During recent hearings, Witness K detailed what she alleged was a pattern of unlawful operations involving members of the EMPD specialised unit under Mkhwanazi’s command. Her testimony formed part of broader evidence alleging corruption involving senior police officials and organised criminal networks.
Friday’s arrest is not Mkhwanazi’s first run-in with the law.
In April this year, he was arrested on separate charges of fraud, corruption and defeating the ends of justice. Those charges stem from unrelated allegations and remain before the courts. He was subsequently released on R30,000 bail pending further legal proceedings.
The latest arrests mean the number of suspects arrested in the Killarney precious stones investigation has now risen to five, with prosecutors expected to outline the full scope of the state’s case when the accused appear in court.
Authorities have stressed that all accused remain innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
