The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) says it will argue for a custodial sentence after former SAPS Crime Intelligence officer Paul Scheepers was convicted on multiple charges in the Bellville Specialised Commercial Crimes Court.

Scheepers, a former captain, was arrested in May 2015 and is out on R20,000 bail, according to the NPA’s Western Cape spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila.

What Scheepers was Convicted of

Ntabazalila said the court found Scheepers guilty of fraud, money laundering and contraventions linked to security and surveillance laws. The convictions include operating as an unregistered private investigator in breach of the Private Security Industry Regulation Act (PSIRA) and unlawful possession of surveillance equipment under the Regulation of Interception of Communications Act (RICA).

The fraud conviction, the NPA said, stems from Scheepers failing to disclose he was a serving SAPS member while providing surveillance and investigative services to private entities, including Nutri Pharma Solutions and Intaka Tech.

The Private Work and the Surveillance Device

Evidence presented in court showed Scheepers allegedly ran a private business, Eagle Eye Solutions, from as early as 2003, offering services as a private investigator without PSIRA registration and without SAPS authorisation. The NPA said his applications to do private work were rejected due to conflicts of interest.

He was also convicted for possessing and dealing in a listed surveillance device, an FTS IMSI grabber, without ministerial exemption. The NPA said the device can track and monitor the location of people, vehicles or objects, and described the conviction as South Africa’s first successful prosecution under RICA for possession of listed equipment.

Money Laundering Finding and Next Steps

The court found Scheepers used multiple bank accounts to conceal about R5.59 million in proceeds linked to unlawful activities, leading to the money laundering conviction under the Prevention of Organised Crime Act.

The case was prosecuted by Senior State Advocate Thersia du Toit. The NPA said Scheepers brought several unsuccessful legal applications, including attempts to invalidate a search warrant, stop the prosecution and force the declassification of alleged intelligence documents. He ultimately did not testify.

Western Cape Director of Public Prosecutions Advocate Nicolette Bell welcomed the convictions, warning that the misuse of police authority and unlawful surveillance technology damages public trust and national security.