A Kurhuleni municipal police officer (EMPD) will be laid to rest following his arrest tonight. According to emerging reports, two other police officers of this council are still at large. Another suspect, who is also an EMPD officer, was not at home. The third suspect, who is connected to a private security company, did not open his door and was not at his house when the police arrived.
IPID has been looking for them all day.
This is related to the issue of the theft of precious stones (estimated at about 14 million in value). The investigation has been ongoing since 2023.
The arrest follows evidence from the Madlanga Commission, where Witness K revealed that the suspended deputy head of the EMPD, Julius Mkhwanazi, who was her boyfriend, helped run an illegal operation to steal precious stones from a gangster living in Killarney, Johannesburg. According to the evidence, the stolen jewels were sold for only R110,000 and this money was shared with five other suspects who are members of the EMPD.
Authorities say the investigation is ongoing, and the case is part of a broader investigation into corruption and misconduct within the EMPD. The latest arrest is seen as an important development in efforts to trace the flow of stolen goods and identify all those involved.