Hawks‚ NPA break-ins ‘inside jobs’‚ says Mbalula

A recent string of break-ins at key justice and government institutions must be “inside jobs”‚ says Police Minister Fikile Mbalula.

Mbalula was responding to news of the latest burglary at the Pretoria offices of the National Prosecuting Authority on Sunday night which saw two laptops belonging to prosecutors being stolen along with hard drives.

The latest burglary comes just a week after a break-in at the Hawks Silverton office.

In March burglars broke into the Office of the Chief Justice in Midrand‚ stealing several computers containing personal information on the country’s judges.

"Criminals who undertake these operations of breaking into offices are not criminals from outside‚ they are people who are working inside those offices. It's an inside job for one reason or the other; it's either corruption or otherwise they want to destroy evidence and there is no doubt about it‚” Mbalula said on Monday.

He was briefing media after a visit to OR Tambo International Airport‚ which has also recently been targeted by criminals.

"It has got nothing to do with politics whatsoever‚ it has everything to do with greed and corruption and we are following them. Even at the Hawks‚ the people didn’t steal the files or the dockets‚ they stole stuff that belongs to HR (Human Resources) and finance. So it's an inside job‚ no doubt about that‚” he said.

Criminologists believe the break-ins carry the hallmarks of sinister attempts to derail South Africa's justice and law enforcement systems.

During the early hours of Monday morning an unknown group of people broke into the Church Square offices of the NPA bypassing security surveillance systems and guards‚ before overriding fingerprint identification locks to gain access to the offices of two prosecutors.

The building‚ say NPA sources‚ boasts the latest security technology with a myriad of systems which enable the constant monitoring of people arriving and leaving.

An NPA source‚ who asked not to be identified‚ said it was just coincidental that it occurred less than a week after the Hawks’ headquarters were burgled in a similar fashion.

“One has to ask what was on the computers that were taken from the Hawks that would see criminals suddenly wanting computers in our offices‚” the source said.

The computers stolen from the Hawks’ offices had information on staff and their employments.

The appointments were done while disgraced Hawks head Berning Ntlemeza was still in his position.

He was fired earlier this year by police minister Fikile Mbalaula‚ with his replacement‚ Yolisa Matakata‚ ordering an investigation into the appointments.

Unisa criminologist‚ Professor Anthony Minnaar said the burglaries were clearly very deliberate‚ and not too transparent attempts‚ to derail certain cases against certain criminals or corrupt politicians.

“It’s too coincidental that these burglaries have occurred in the first place and are very targeted in terms of specific offices being broken into and certain laptops‚ hard drives and flash drives being taken.”

He questioned whether the necessary backups were being done.

“If they were then the thieves would rather attempt to hack into the NPA's server system where the data should be kept.

“Stealing the laptops means that the thieves know that these computers are probably not being backed up. With that in mind one has to ask: why is this information not being backed up?”

He said the thefts were a very deliberate attempt to destroy information and evidence and undermine the rule of law.

Gareth Newham of the Institute for Security Studies said the burglaries were deeply concerning‚ “especially as they are occurring at institutions charged with keeping South Africans safe”.

He said it appeared that this was beyond the normal burglaries that were occurring in South Africa.

“They are focused attacks with the thieves clearly looking for very specific information.”

Newham said whoever had stolen the computers was highly knowledgeable‚ especially as they were able to bypass a myriad of security systems undetected.

“What is worrying is that this is not the first such theft. What makes it even more worrying is that in none of these burglaries have we had a successful prosecution and conviction.

“Clearly these are highly focused and organised criminals.”

He said it was concerning that the country's intelligence services seemed unable to detect and put a stop to these burglaries.

“The main challenge to stopping these crimes is the President and minister of police because they are responsible for ensuring only the best possible people are appointed to head the police‚ Hawks and institutions like crime intelligence.

“But‚ rather than doing that‚ they appoint very incompetent and dishonest people to head the police and the Hawks.”

He said the information could be used for a variety of purposes‚ including undermining prosecutors and police investigators through increased intimidation of those assigned to the cases.

Nathi Mncube‚ spokesman for the Office of the Chief Justice‚ declined to comment on the progress of the investigation into their burglary and whether any of the stolen computers had been recovered.

“We have received feedback but because the matter is before court we cannot discuss anything‚ including what may or may not become evidence‚ until it [the matter] is concluded.

“We have been advised not to discuss the matter any further.”

Gauteng police spokesman Captain Kay Makhubela said no arrests had been made and none of the computers recovered.

“Two separate offices on the second floor were broken into and two laptops taken. We are investigating whether anything else was taken.

“At this stage it is unknown how the suspects entered the building‚ although there was broken glass at the scene.”

Mbalula was adamant that those responsible for the burglaries would be brought to book.

Mbalula urged crime intelligence to do its job and gather as much information so they can arrest all those implicated in the break-ins.

- TimesLIVE