JOHANNESBURG - Anonymity remained a top priority in court as the gemstones heist whistleblower known only as "Witness K" made her first appearance.
She kept her face completely covered from the public and media gallery.
Her legal team outlined the safety risks at play, asking that her identity stay strictly under wraps as the multi-million-rand criminal case gets underway.
Witness K alongside Suspended Ekurhuleni Deputy Police Chief Julius Mkhwanazi appeared before the Johannesburg Magistrate's Court on Monday on charges of fraud and robbery with aggravating circumstances.
READ | Julius Mkhwanazi, Witness K to appear in court over gemstones theft
The pair are the last two of the suspects in the R15-million precious stones theft case.
Mkhwanazi and Witness K spent the weekend behind bars following their arrest on Friday.
During a testimony partially in camera at the Madlanga Commission, Witness K named Mkhwanazi as the mastermind behind the gemstone theft, which was disguised as a police operation.
Three other suspects were arrested in the same case last week.
Charges against one suspect were withdrawn.
The other two are out on R5,000 bail each.