Suspended EMPD Cop Julius Mkhwanazi and Witness K Granted R5,000 Bail in R14.9m Stone Heist

• Suspended EMPD officer Julius Mkhwanazi and a JMPD officer known as Witness K appeared in court over a 2023 precious stones theft
• The two ex-lovers face charges linked to the R14.9 million heist in Killarney and were each granted R5,000 bail
• Mkhwanazi claims he is the victim of a setup by a vengeful former partner, disputing the version of events presented to the court

JOHANNESBURG — A suspended Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department (EMPD) officer and a Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) colleague have been released on R5,000 bail each after appearing in court on charges related to a multimillion-rand theft.

Julius Mkhwanazi, the suspended EMPD officer, and a JMPD officer identified in proceedings as Witness K are accused of planning and executing the 2023 theft of precious stones in Killarney, valued at R14.9 million. The pair were formerly in a romantic relationship.

Mkhwanazi denies orchestrating the theft

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Mkhwanazi has contested the charges against him, telling the court that the operation was legitimate and that Witness K's testimony was not credible. He argued that she fabricated her account out of a desire for revenge after he ended their relationship.

According to Mkhwanazi, Witness K had expected him to marry her, and when he broke off the relationship, she became determined to implicate him in criminal activity. He maintained that he is the true victim in the case, describing the charges as part of a deliberate setup engineered by a scorned former partner.

Ex-Lovers now on opposite sides of the case

The dynamic between the accused and the witness adds an unusual dimension to the proceedings. Witness K, who holds the rank of officer within the JMPD, is positioned as a key figure in the prosecution's case, while Mkhwanazi has sought to undermine her credibility by highlighting their personal history and the acrimonious end of their relationship.

Both individuals have been released on bail of R5,000 as the case continues.

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3 articles on Julius Mkhwanazi and his arrest

• Briefly News reported that Mkhwanazi appeared before the Johannesburg Magistrate's Court seeking bail where he laid out his financial standing in full, which is a multi million rand fiancial portfolio.
• The suspended Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department (EMPD) Deputy Chief was arrested in Bedfordview on the evening of 17 July 2026.
• Commissioner Julius Mkhwanazi believes that the latest charges against him are politically motivated and designed to block his candidacy to become Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department (EMPD) Chief.

Source: Briefly News