Pretoria – A 37-year-old man, Scebi Thabiso Nene, has been sentenced to five years in prison by the Pietermaritzburg Regional Court for creating and distributing manipulated pornographic images featuring high-profile South African leaders.
Police spokesperson Brigadier Thandi Mbambo confirmed that Nene was convicted on 23 May 2025 on multiple counts under the Cybercrimes Act, following an investigation by the Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Investigation team.
Between September 2022 and May 2023, Nene unlawfully downloaded images of prominent public figures, including the President of South Africa, a former Minister of Police and his spouse, and a former National Police Commissioner.
He altered the images by superimposing the individuals’ faces onto explicit pornographic material and distributed them via WhatsApp and official Presidency email channels.
“The matter was reported to the police and a case docket was handed over to the Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Investigation team in Gauteng for investigation.
“Nene was traced and arrested in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal. He initially appeared in the Pretoria Magistrates’ Court, after which the case was transferred to the Pietermaritzburg Regional Court,” Mbambo said.
Nene was convicted on 254 counts:
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Counts 1 to 67: Cyber Forgery – five years direct imprisonment
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Counts 68 to 254: Cyber Uttering and Disclosure of Intimate Data – three years direct imprisonment
The court ruled the sentences will run concurrently, resulting in an effective five-year term of direct imprisonment.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
