Once again, crime does not pay – even it‘s done in cyberspace.
Cleopatra Mosana, a former employee of South Africa‘s Home Affairs office in CApe Town, has been accused of hacking the personal computer and accessing the internet system of Parliament‘s operations officer.
Mosana appeared in the Bellville Specialized Commercial Crime Court on Wednesday.
According to Mosana‘s official charge sheet, she allegedly hacked into Parliament‘s operations officer, Tango Lamani‘s internet system between April 2011 and June 2011.
Apparently, Lamani‘s parliamentary PC and internet system contained some highly confidential and sensitive information regarding parliament, as well as personal information.
It was thanks to Parliament‘s IT department that Lamani became aware of his system being hacked.
Mosana has been charged with 33 alleged violations of legislation. All of which involve the protection of internet related communications.
It further read that Mosana was employed by Home Affairs in Cape Town, where one of the infringing computers was located, at the time of the hacking.
However, it seems like Mosana has no remorse, and is desperately trying, by means of her lawyer, to get all the charges against her withdrawn.
Greg Duncan, Mosana‘s lawyer, was in the process of making representations to prosecutor, Juan Agulhas, to get get Mosana‘s charges withdrawn. Thus, her next court date was postponed and set for November 15.
Duncan then asked if Mosana can be excused from attending her November court date, as she now lives in Centurion, close to Pretoria.
Unfortunately for Mosana, the magistrate would not let her off that easy, and he insisted that if she did not appear in court on November 15, a warrant for her arrest will be issued.
This is yet another testament to the evil ways of cybercrime, and that the repercussions of it is serious. Also, Parliament should think of upping their internet security system…
Source: Business Tech
