Cape Town – A police sergeant stationed at Durbanville SAPS has been arrested in Paarl, Western Cape, for allegedly running a piracy scheme involving unauthorised access to DStv channels through WAKA TV. The arrest follows a joint investigation by the Commercial Crime Unit detectives and Irdeto South Africa (MultiChoice), under the Cybercrimes Act.
According to SAPS spokesperson Sergeant Wesley Twigg, the 49-year-old suspect was apprehended at his residence on Berlios Street in Paarl on Tuesday. "Police obtained a search warrant to search a premise in Berlios Street, Paarl, and arrested a police sergeant stationed at Durbanville SAPS. At the premises, the members confiscated one cellular telephone and one laptop, which were handed in as exhibits and form part of the investigation," said Twigg.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspect was operating as a reseller of WAKA TV, which includes DStv channels without the necessary authorisation. "Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspect is a reseller of WAKA TV, which includes DSTV channels without authorisation. The sale of the login credentials to access the channels illegally is estimated at a substantial amount," Twigg added. The exact amount earned from the illegal sale of login credentials is still under investigation but is believed to be significant.
MultiChoice confirmed their awareness of the arrest and their collaboration with law enforcement agencies in the raid concerning the WAKA TV operation. In a statement, MultiChoice said, "We are following law enforcement protocols and will share more information as it becomes available. We respect the ongoing investigation and cannot comment further at this time."
The arrest of the police sergeant has prompted a strong reaction from the Provincial Commissioner of the Western Cape, Lieutenant-General Thembisile Patekile, who issued a stern warning to all members of the Western Cape police force. Patekile cautioned officers to refrain from engaging in any unlawful activities that would place them on the wrong side of the law.
This incident comes just a week after another Western Cape police officer, Sergeant Cornel Jaars, 41, of Belhar SAPS, was arrested for possession of cocaine. Jaars was caught packing the illegal substances during a raid.
The police sergeant arrested for piracy is expected to appear in the Paarl Magistrate's Court on Thursday to face charges under the Cybercrimes Act. The investigation into the matter is ongoing, and further details are expected to emerge as the case progresses.
