The Johannesburg magistrate's court on Wednesday convicted and sentenced two people who stole a 2020 mathematics matric question paper.
Themba Daniel Shikwambana, 36, and Thobile Sweetbetter Duze, 48, pleaded guilty to theft.
The Hawks said on November 16 2020, the department of basic education received information about a possible leak of a mathematics matric exam question paper. The department was alerted via a WhatsApp photograph which was later verified and confirmed to be a true copy of the 2020 Mathematics Paper 2 exam paper.
Investigations revealed some pupils in Limpopo and Gauteng confirmed receiving the leaked paper via WhatsApp. The matter was then reported to the Hawks' serious commercial crime investigation team based in Pretoria for further investigation.
“On November 25 2020, Shikwambana, who was working at a printing company in Johannesburg where exam papers were printed, was traced and arrested in Orange Farm.
“Further investigation led to the arrest of Duze on June 10 2021 in Port Shepstone, KwaZulu-Natal,” Hawks spokesperson Lt-Col Christopher Singo said.
The accused appeared in court on several occasions culminating in their recent conviction.
The court sentenced Shikwambana and Duze to a fine of R100,000 or 12 months' imprisonment, of which R50,000 or six months' imprisonment is suspended for five years on condition that they are not convicted of the same offence during the period of suspension.
The court ordered them to pay the fine of R50,000 in monthly instalments of R5,000 on or before April 2026.
TimesLIVE
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