On Monday, March 13, 2023, a 39-year-old man was arrested at work. He is an employee of the Service for Transport and Support (DV&O), part of the Service for Judicial Institutions (DJI). He was released a few days later after questioning. The Public Prosecution Service suspects the civil servant of bringing sensitive information that he could access due to his work from his work environment to his private environment. Today he appeared before the judge. The Public Prosecution Service demands 240 hours of community service and a 6-month suspended prison sentence against him.
The National Investigation Service started an investigation in June 2022 after concerning information was received about the civil servant. The man is suspected of possessing sensitive information in his role and possibly transferring it to his private environment and selling it. This includes internal documents from the DJI and an email with criminal information. Subsequently, the man was observed, phone calls were intercepted, his mailbox was investigated, and his financial records were examined. There was also a check at the barbershop that the suspect owns. After a search, it was found that the man possessed a firearm in addition to his service weapon.
Self-Interest
The investigation revealed no evidence that the suspect shared the confidential information with others. However, it is clear to the Public Prosecution Service that the man has committed a criminal offense and that there are no special circumstances that would make this act non-punishable. This would be the case if the suspect had acted in the public interest and if there were no other or better ways to do so. The suspect claims that he forwarded the information for a job evaluation and in the context of security risks. According to the Public Prosecution Service, this is not in the public interest, but rather in the suspects self-interest, and he did not consider the risks his actions posed.
Complacency
The prosecutor: It was not only disproportionate, but there was also another solution. He did not need to email everything to himself. Moreover, it could have been done in a more secure manner. The reasons the suspect gives are often easy: he couldnt do it at work, the printers werent working. They speak of complacency and little awareness of the sensitivity of the information he had under his control. Given all the facts and circumstances and also the special duty of the suspect, the Public Prosecution Service demands 240 hours of community service and a 6-month suspended prison sentence. The judge will make a ruling in two weeks.