Story audio is generated using AI
An Ekurhuleni metropolitan police department (EMPD) official and a civilian arrested for their alleged involvement in the theft of R14.9m worth of precious stones will remain in custody for now.
Their case was postponed to July 16 for bail applications.
Adrian Norman Mackenzie, an EMPD official, and his co-accused, Etienne van der Walt, appeared in the Johannesburg magistrate’s court on Monday on charges of robbery with aggravating circumstances and fraud.
The officials are alleged to have robbed a complainant of six boxes containing high-grade sugilite and manganese stones, commonly referred to as “precious stones”, at premises in Killarney, Johannesburg, on February 11 2023.
The accused allegedly assaulted the complainant and, while armed with firearms, threatened to inflict grievous bodily harm before taking possession of the precious stones.
The state alleges that Mackenzie, with another EMPD official and their civilian co-accused, falsely represented themselves as members of a multidisciplinary law enforcement team comprising EMPD and Hawks officers investigating alleged lithium smuggling activities.
“They allegedly further misrepresented that they were authorised to conduct law enforcement operations in the Johannesburg area,” said National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Magaboke Mohlatlole.
“According to the state, these representations were false and were intended to induce the complainant into believing that a legitimate law enforcement operation was being conducted. The state alleges that the true purpose of the operation was to unlawfully deprive the complainant of the precious stones.”
The state further alleges that the EMPD officials were operating outside their lawful jurisdiction, which is limited to the Ekurhuleni municipality.
The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) said when the investigation began, there were six suspects.
Three were from the EMPD, one from the Johannesburg metro police, one from the Gauteng traffic police and a businessman who allegedly presented himself as a police officer during the raid. One of the six has since died.
Ipid spokesperson Lizzy Suping said the arrest of two suspects is imminent.
The Madlanga commission has heard how metro police officers implicated in the theft of the precious stones tried to quash the case, including infiltrating the NPA.
Witness K, a Johannesburg metro police officer whose identity has been withheld for safety reasons, testified that she was part of the scheme in which police officers colluded to steal precious stones under the guise of a lawful seizure operation at a residence in Killarney. The theft plan allegedly involved suspended EMPD deputy chief Julius Mkhwanazi.
TimesLIVE
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.