Ex-Crime Intelligence officer Paul Scheepers has been convicted of fraud, money laundering, and violations of surveillance laws following a trial that spanned over a decade. The case, rooted in his unauthorized private security work, marks the first convictions of their kind under Psira and Rica regulations in the Western Cape. Sentencing is set for April 10, with prosecutors seeking imprisonment.
Paul Scheepers, a former officer in South Africa's Crime Intelligence unit, faced a protracted legal battle that began with a 2015 raid on his Cape Town business, Eagle Eye Solutions. On January 30, in the Bellville Specialised Commercial Crimes Court, he was convicted on multiple counts after nearly 11 years of proceedings.
The charges stemmed from Scheepers' moonlighting activities starting in 2003, when he operated Eagle Eye without registration from the Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority (Psira) or approval from the South African Police Service (SAPS). Prosecutors proved he failed to disclose his SAPS employment while providing surveillance services, acted as an unregistered private investigator, possessed a 'grabber' device without ministerial exemption under the Regulation of Interception of Communications Act (Rica), and laundered R5.59 million in illicit proceeds.
In 2010, Eagle Eye secured a contract to debug cellphones for the Western Cape government, then led by DA premier Helen Zille. This deal sparked political controversy in 2015, with the ANC accusing Zille of using Scheepers to spy on the party. Zille denied the claims, stating: “This is an outright lie. It has no foundation whatsoever. I saw Scheepers once, briefly, when I handed him my cellphone, and he handed it back to my secretary afterwards. I never once discussed spying or surveillance with him, and that was never his brief.”
Scheepers was acquitted on some fraud charges related to the 2010 contract but convicted on others. The case faced hurdles, including failed bids to invalidate the 2015 search warrant and a successful magistrate recusal. He closed his defense without testifying.
Western Cape Director of Public Prosecutions Nicolette Bell praised the outcome, noting: “The misuse of police authority, unauthorised private security operations, and unlawful possession of surveillance technology pose serious risks to public trust and national security.” These landmark Psira and Rica convictions highlight vulnerabilities in regulating police side activities. Scheepers' affidavit alleged a senior officer's ties to drug lords, possibly implicating Jeremy Vearey, but this did not alter the trial's course.
