Ipid Arrested Suspects Implicated in Theft of Preciuos Stones in Johannesburg in 2023

By Lizzy Suping
IPID Spokesperson

IPID, together with members of TRT, are on the trail of two suspects that they could not locate last night.

As at 12: 30 today, (4 July 2026), only one 1 suspect is arrested instead of the three for the seizure and theft of precious stones from a private residence in Killarney Johannesburg in 2023.

When the investigation of this case started, there were 6 suspects, 3 from EMPD, one from Gauteng Traffic Police , one from JMPD and a private businessman who impersonated himself as a police officer during the raid and seizure of the precious stones.

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

The suspects face a charge of corruption because EMPD officers conducted an investigation outside their jurisdiction and failed to register the exhibits in the SAPS occurrence book. Some of the exhibits were found in the car of one of the EMPD officials.

With regards to Community Safety or Traffic Officer, they do not conduct investigations but enforce traffic by laws.

The JMPD officer is based in the VIP Unit, and they do not conduct investigations.

The arrested suspect from last night is detained at the Edenvale holding cells until his first court appearance on Monday, 6 July 2026, before the Johanesburg Magistrate Court.

Yesterday, IPID had three warrants of arrests, and the arrest of the other 2 remaining suspects will be in the coming weeks while the 6th suspect has since died.

More updates to follow later today.