DURBAN - A Durban man who allegedly leaked secret information about metro police roadblocks on a WhatsApp group chat will soon face a charge of defeating the ends of justice.
This, after acting metro police head Steve Middleton said he was alerted to a post containing information about the weekend roadblock sites.
“I was alerted about a post with the cell number. I then got members to phone that number, but it was not answered,” said Middleton.
Late on Friday night, Middleton called on the man he identified on Facebook as “P Pillay” to hand himself over, or else.
“Just to inform this person, we know who you are leaking roadblock sites,” Middleton wrote on Facebook.
Middleton warned the man that he was breaking the law and called on him to come forward or risk arrest.
Speaking to the Sunday Tribune, he said: “We will open acharge of defeating the ends of justice with the police. We will then liaise with the state prosecutors to see exactly what information and what evidence is necessary to get a conviction.”
Middleton said they had established all the details about the man, including his source of information within the metro police. He said they would also be conducting internal investigations.
“It’s not the first time that information has been leaked and it has to stop. There is no doubt one of our officers is leaking information,” he said.
The man suspected of leaking the information denied it, and said he was not the originator of the post. He denied having shared the information with anyone, and threatened to sue for defamation.
“I also received information, like everyone on the WhatsApp group. I never sent it to anyone. It’s a group chat. We are Tottenham Hotspur supporters,” he said.
“We don’t know each other and have never met. Why would they charge me when I am not the originator of the post?
“I will defend myself in court and sue the minister of police for defamation of character,” he said.