Brakpan – Suspended Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department (EMPD) deputy chief Julius Mkhwanazi and his co-accused appeared in Brakpan Magistrate’s Court in connection with the murder of Emmanuel Mbense, whose body was discovered in the Spaarwater dam by a passerby.
Fifty-year-old Mkhwanazi, who is out on bail for three other matters, appeared today, Thursday 6 August 2026, alongside co-accused 42-year-old businessman Cobus Janse van Rensburg, suspended 43-year-old EMPD officer Adrian Norman Mackenzie, former EMPD officer 40-year-old Keisha- Leigh Stols, and former South African Police Service officer 36-year-old Bhekokwakhe Sibande.
All the suspects were arrested for Mbense’s murder by the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) yesterday, Wednesday 6 August 2026.
RELATED: Suspended EMPD Boss Mkhwanazi Arrested Again, This Time For Mbense Murder – The Bulrushes
They are all facing a charge of Murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances, and defeating the administration of justice.
IPID National Spokesperson Lizzy Suping said allegations were that on 14 April 2022, the five accused assaulted and killed Mbense at his place of residence because they suspected that he had stolen copper from a warehouse.
The accused allegedly killed and robbed Mbense of his property and cash in the amount of about half a million rand; they allegedly disposed of his body by dumping it at Spaarwater Dam.
Today the state indicated that it was opposing bail.
The matter was postponed to 13 August 2026 to allow the State an opportunity to consider several applications brought by some of the accused persons’ legal representatives.
All the accused were remanded in custody.
In a separate matter involving the theft of precious stones worth nearly 15 million, Mackenzie, Stols, and Mkhwanazi were among the accused. In that matter, all three were released on R5 000 bail
