Cape Town - In a breakthrough against bullying at Fort Hare University (FHU), a cyber forensics investigation has uncovered evidence against a Council member, some employees, and former employees.
For several months, UFH’s management reported slander and cyber bullying by unknown cyber mudslingers.
According to the university, the implicated individuals were manufacturing and distributing lies and defamatory allegations through unsolicited e-mail dumps.
Vice-chancellor, Professor Sakhela Buhlungu, in January said during the funeral service of his executive protector, Mboneli Vesele, that there was a double pronged “shoot and smear” campaign designed to intimidate, discredit and terrorise the university.
This after he ensured the crack-down on all forms of malfeasance including the fraudulent registration of 15 politicians in post-graduate programmes, mismanagement of funds and other corruption matters, which the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) is investigating.
The VC has called on authorities to “act now” by conducting additional investigations and when necessary, prosecute those implicated.
“We are satisfied with the outcome with the detailed and meticulous cyber forensics survey.
We are appealing to authorities and the Hawks to fast track the investigation,” he said.
UFH spokesperson, JP Roodt, said the crude and unsolicited emails functioned to disgrace and embarrass senior university officials, while also functioning as bait to distract authorities from fraud and corruption investigations.
“Defamatory and untruthful email reports slandering UFH senior officials were leaked and targeted the email inboxes of members of the UFH Council, DHET and media,” he said.
According to Roodt, the university has now obtained prima facie evidence implicating six individuals for constructing and propagating slanderous and unwarranted lies, while seeking one another’s approval before firing off the emails.
Those implicated include a suspended chief transport officer, who reported to the slain fleet manager Petrus Roets, a current member of the UFH Council, an employee in the university’s finance department, a former Institutional Advancement director as well as a retired driver in the UFH fleet who the cyber author would allegedly consult and alert before taking action.
Roodt said UFH opened a case with the police in East London last week against the individuals, and presented authorities with evidence of a detailed cyber forensics investigation.
This includes the names and email addresses, content of emails and email exchange between the parties.
“The university's evidence was sufficiently established and it is now upon the accused to prove their innocence.”
Police spokesperson Brigadier Tembinkosi Kinana did not respond by deadline.
Cape Times