PRESS        STATEMENT

(For immediate release)

THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS AND INTERNAL SECURITY WISHES TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT HAVING UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS TO CONFIDENTIAL OR CLASSIFIED INFORMATION AND WORSE STILL PUBLISHING IT, CONSTITUTES  SERIOUS CRIMINAL OFFENCES PUNISHABLE BY LAW.

IT IS REGRETTABLE THAT A DOCUMENT MEANT FOR INVESTIGATION PURPOSES BETWEEN A SECURITY WING UNDER THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS AND INTERNAL SECURITY AND THE RECIPIENT THE ZAMBIA INSTITUTE OF ESTATE AGENTS HAS BEEN LEAKED ON SOCIAL MEDIA DESPITE BEING A CONFIDENTIAL DOCUMENT.

IN THIS REGARD, PERSONNEL SUSPECTED TO HAVE LEAKED THE DOCUMENT ON SOCIAL MEDIA HAS VIOLATED THE PROVISIONS OF THE CYBER SECURITY AND CYBER CRIMES ACT NO: 2 OF 2021, SECTION 49.

THE LAW REPRIMANDS ANY PERSON WHO HAS UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS, OR ANYONE WHO INTERCEPTS OR INTERFERES WITH COMPUTER SYSTEMS OR DATA, AND AS SUCH IS CONSIDERED TO HAVE COMMITTED A FELONY PUNISHABLE BY SEVERE IMPRISONMENT.

IN ADDITION TO THAT, PUBLICATION OF SUCH INFORMATION ALSO AMOUNTS TO A CRIMINAL ACT AND THE PERPETRATOR IS LIABLE TO IMPRISONMENT FOR A PERIOD NOT LESS THAN 5 YEARS.

AS A MATTER OF URGENCY, THE CASE IS RECEIVING SERIOUS ATTENTION TO ENSURE THAT PERSONNEL WHO ACTED OR OMITTED TO ACT TO PROTECT THE DOCUMENT FROM PUBLIC ACCESSIBILITY IS DEALT WITH ACCORDING TO THE LAW.

MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC AND EMPLOYEES OF VARIOUS INSTITUTIONS, BOTH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE ARE STERNLY WARNED FROM LEAKING OR ILLEGALLY ACCESSING AND PUBLISHING CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION TO THE PUBLIC WITHOUT AUTHORITY. THE ACT OR OMISSION TO SAFEGUARD THE LEAKAGE BY THE RESPONSIBLE OFFICERS AMOUNTS TO A CRIME.

THE PRACTICE DOES NOT CONSTITUTE FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION BUT VIOLETS THE LAW WITH IMPUNITY. GOVERNMENT THROUGH THE INVESTIGATION WINGS SHOULD ENSURE THAT THE VICE IS BROUGHT TO AN END FORTHWITH.

CHIFUTA, NEPHAS,

PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER,

MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS AND INTERNAL SECURITY

02.02,2022

LUSAKA