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Jacobeth Lepinka, a 52-year-old assistant director at the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), and her 28-year-old son, Kedifentse, were handed down their judgments at the Pretoria Magistrates’ Court on 17 February 2023.
“The charges against them relate to their unauthorised access of top-secret information,” said Hawks’ Brigadier Thandi Mbambo.
According to Mbambo, the incident was first reported in 2014, when the NPA discovered that Lepinka had taken a laptop containing classified information to her home without permission.
“The matter was reported to the Serious Corruption Investigation team based in the Hawks’ head office, who conducted a thorough investigation.
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“The team eventually traced the laptop to Kedifentse, who claimed that it was his device. Following a lengthy investigation, the accused were brought to trial, with Jacobeth being found guilty of fraud, unauthorised access to information, and unauthorised disclosure of information.
“Meanwhile, Kedifentse was convicted of unauthorised access to information,” added Mbambo.
The accused will be sentenced on 16 May 2023, marking the conclusion of a case that has spanned almost a decade.
Mbambo said the verdict serves as a reminder of the importance of safeguarding sensitive information and the consequences of unauthorised access to such information.
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