By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) confirmed the arrest of Madlanga Commission of Inquiry Witness K at her home in Gauteng on Friday afternoon.
Witness K is attached to the Johannesburg Metro Police Department’s (JMPD) VIP Protection Unit, and the former girlfriend of suspended Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department (EMPD) deputy chief Julius Mkhwanazi.
She stands accused of being involved in the theft of precious stones worth just under R15 million during a bogus police raid.
Fullview learnt that Witness K was transported to the Alberton Police Station, where she is expected to be formally charged.
In a statement, IPID spokesperson Lizzy Shuping said, “one of the two remaining suspects in the raid and seizure of precious stones from a property in Killarney, Johannesburg, in 2023 has been arrested.”
The arrested suspect is detained at Germiston Holding cells, said Shuping.
Three of the suspects in the precious stones case appeared in court during the week. Two were released on bail. The other suspect’s charges were withdrawn after he made representations to the prosecution.
The suspects were initially six when the investigation began. They were from EMPD, JMPD, Gauteng Traffic Police and a private citizen. One has since died.
They conducted an investigation outside their area of jurisdiction while the others in terms of their work responsibilities do not conduct investigations. The other suspect impersonated a police officer during the raid.
Kersha Stoltz and Adriaan McKenzie were released on R5 000 bail each on 26 July 2026. while businessman Etienne van der Walt’s charges are withdrawn.
Witness K will appear before the Johannesburg Magistrate Court on Monday, 20 July 2026.
Witness K’s testimony offered what she described as an insider’s account of how the Killarney raid was planned.
She testified that she met now suspended Mkhwanazi in 2022 and that their acquaintance developed into a romantic relationship. According to her evidence, Mkhwanazi frequently borrowed money from her until she had exhausted both her salary and her savings.
Unable to lend Mkhwanazi more money, Witness K testified that he asked her to “keep her ear to the ground” for opportunities involving large sums of money.
She said this had reminded her of information she had earlier received from an informer, named Jango Sermon, about illegal stones in possession of someone in a block of flats in Killarney.
Although she had never reported the information to her superior, she told the commission she passed it on to Mkhwanazi, who allegedly instructed her to contact the informer while he assembled a team to follow up the tip-off.
Witness K further testified that she, Stols, Mackenzie and Van der Walt later met with the informer. Van der Walt negotiated a payment of R110,000 for the stones. She alleged that the proceeds were then divided among the group, with R22,000 going to her and the remaining R88,000 shared between Mkhwanazi, Stols, Mackenzie and Van der Walt.