A South African Police Service (SAPS) employee has been found guilty of sharing confidential police information on upcoming operations with a drug syndicate.
Sebastian Johnson, who worked as a secretary to a senior Northern Cape policeman in the province’s crime intelligence office, was found guilty of defeating the ends of justice by the Kimberley Regional Court on April 25.
According to police spokesperson Sergeant Tebogo Thebe, Johnson was arrested in September 2021 after evidence fingered him as the mole who was working with criminals by tipping them off on upcoming operations.
Thebe said Johnson’s criminal activities were brought to the attention of the police in April 2021 after the Hawks Serious Organised Crime Investigation team conducted an operation to arrest members of a drugs syndicate.
“After the arrest, cellphone records of the syndicate members were downloaded for further investigation. The team discovered confidential pictures of the planned operation documents on the suspects’ cellphones,” said Thebe in a statement.
An enquiry was instituted to further investigate how the suspected criminals gained access to confidential operation documents.
Thebe said the inquiry fingered Johnson as the culprit.
Johnson, who was employed as a Public Service Act member attached to Provincial Crime Intelligence office in Kimberley, was arrested in September 2021 and granted bail of R1 000 in the same month.
Thebe told Sunday World that Johnson was subsequently dismissed in December 2021.
“The leaking of confidential police information is a serious crime,” he said.
Johnson’s case has been reminded to June 1 for sentencing.
“He is still out on bail until he is sentenced,” said Thebe.
He said his arrest and conviction is sending a strong message to the bad apples in the police service.
Follow @SundayWorldZA on Twitter and @sundayworldza on Instagram, or like our Facebook Page, Sunday World, by clicking here for the latest breaking news in South Africa.
