Officer Arrested Over Alleged R15 Million Precious Stones Theft

Johannesburg — South Africa's Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) has arrested one suspect while intensifying a manhunt for two others in connection with the alleged unlawful seizure and theft of precious stones valued at just under R15 million during a raid on a private residence in Killarney, Johannesburg, in 2023.

In a media statement issued on Saturday, IPID said the arrest followed a joint operation with members of the Tactical Response Team (TRT).

Although investigators had obtained three warrants of arrest, only one suspect had been taken into custody by 12:30 pm on July 4 after the remaining two could not be located during overnight operations.

"Only one suspect is arrested instead of the three for the seizure and theft of precious stones from a private residence in Killarney, Johannesburg, in 2023," IPID said in a statement.

The arrested suspect is being held at the Edenvale holding cells and is expected to make his first appearance before the Johannesburg Magistrate's Court on Monday, July 6.

IPID says the investigation initially implicated six individuals, comprising three officials from the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department (EMPD), one Gauteng Traffic Police officer, one Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) officer and a private businessman who allegedly posed as a police officer during the operation.

IPID alleges that the group unlawfully searched and raided a residence in Killarney without a warrant, before seizing precious stones worth just under R15 million.

"The suspects allegedly searched and raided a home in Killarney, without a warrant and seized precious stones valued at just under R15 million," the directorate said.

The watchdog further alleges that the EMPD officers conducted an investigation outside their legal jurisdiction and failed to register the seized stones in the South African Police Service (SAPS) occurrence book as required.

Investigators also allege that some of the recovered exhibits were later found inside the vehicle of one of the EMPD officials.

IPID said the suspects face corruption charges arising from the alleged irregularities surrounding the operation.

The directorate also noted that Gauteng Traffic Police officers are mandated to enforce traffic laws rather than conduct criminal investigations, while the implicated JMPD officer serves in the VIP Protection Unit, which similarly does not conduct criminal investigations.

The directorate confirmed that one of the six original suspects has since died.

It said the remaining two suspects named in the arrest warrants are expected to be apprehended in the coming weeks.

IPID said further updates on the investigation would be provided as they become available.