How Julius Mkhwanazi and team 'orchestrated a robbery' of precious stones
Suspended Ekurhuleni Metro Poilice Department deputy chief Julius Mkhwanazi.
Image: Oupa Mokoena/Independent Newspapers
The Madlanga Commission heard on Tuesday that suspended Deputy Chief of the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department (EMPD), Julius Mkhwanazi, and the ‘rogue’ officers from his unit planned and executed a robbery of precious stones from the owner in an apartment in Killarney, Johannesburg.
This was revealed by Witness K, an inspector from the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department's (JMPD) VIP unit, during her testimony to the commission. She stated that she wanted to acknowledge her role in the wrongdoing in Ekurhuleni, especially with the robbery of precious stones case. Her testimony was heard partially in-camera, for safety reasons.
Witness K stated that she was in a romantic relationship with Mkhwanazi from 2022, and problems started in 2023, when he was suspended from his post. Mkhwanazi began borrowing money from Witness K for groceries, legal fees, and his children’s school fees, but never paid it back.
When Witness K could no longer financially assist Mkhwanazi, he asked her to keep her ears to the ground about money.
She told the commission that she then remembered information previously received from an informant about illegal stones (sugar light stones) in possession of someone at a block of flats in Killarney.
“I then told Mr Mkhwanazi about the informer and mentioned that the informer needed someone to get the stones for him from the owner. Mr Mkhwanazi asked me to get in touch with the informer, and he would assemble a team to follow the information received,” Witness K said.
The plan to get the precious stones was hatched on February 11, 2023, during a meeting at a restaurant in Randhart. At the meeting was Mkhwanazi, who introduced Witness K to EMPD officers Kesha Leigh Stols and Norman Mackenzie (who were dressed in uniform), and a civilian, Andy van der Walt.
She stated that the officers started at Rosebank SAPS to do an Occurrence Book entry, that they were from EMPD, and would be working in Johannesburg.
She said that about an hour and a half after she arrived home, she received a call from Officer Stols notifying Witness K that they were inside the apartment in Killarney and “she wanted me to speak to the owner of the stones”.
“While I was still on the line, Officer Stols gave her phone to the owner of the stones. I then spoke to the owner, and I asked him if he had the necessary permit to be in possession of the stones. I knew from my discussions with the owner that he did not have the relevant permits for the stones. While I was still on the line with the owner, I then added another person to the call.
“I no longer recall the name of the man who joined our call, but he used to work at the mines, and he had knowledge about mining and stones. I joined him on the call because he had knowledge about the permits required to possess the stones. While we were on the call, the man spoke to the owner and asked him if he had the permits. The owner admitted that he didn't have permits to possess precious stones,” Witness K said.
The EMPD officers obtained the stones. Then Van der Walt negotiated the price for the exchange of stones, which was agreed at R110 000.
“After receiving money, I went to meet Mr Mkhwanazi at a car wash. He then phoned Officer Stols to come to the car wash. We shared the money equally among the five of us. I gave them R88 000 for Mr Mkhwanazi, Officers Stols, and Mackenzie, as well as Mr Van der Walt. I kept the R22 000 for myself,” Witness K said.
The commission’s evidence leader, Advocate Ofentse Mahlasedi, read a part of the statement by the owner of the precious stones, where it was revealed that the stones were worth R14.9 million.
Witness K said she felt used.
The testimony continues.
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