The Office of the Ombudsman has said burglars who broke into its premises on the night of March 24 this year appear to have targeted sensitive investigation records.
During a visit to the office yesterday, Office of the Ombudsman executive secretary Alinafe Malunga said the intruders entered through the roof, cut through the ceiling and bypassed several offices before heading for sections linked to investigations.
He said the pattern of the break-in suggested that the attackers were deliberate in their actions.
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“From that scenario, one can deduce a pattern where the focus was on the investigations arm of the office, particularly sensitive materials kept in the Ombudsman secretary’s office,” said Malunga.
He said furniture was also smashed in the process as the intruders searched for electronic storage devices.
“They broke chairs, tables and desks to access everything, particularly anything electronic,” said Malunga.
He added that the burglars avoided corridors fitted with closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras, raising suspicions that they were familiar with the office layout.
In a separate interview, Ombudsman Grace Malera said the office was yet to establish whether any sensitive information was tampered with because police are still investigating the matter.
“We are not in a position to confirm the exact nature of the materials taken or whether any information was accessed. We are waiting for the police to conclude their investigations,” she said.
Malera said the office restored operations by midday the following day, thanks to backup systems and cautioned against drawing premature conclusions on the motive.
The break-in is the second in two years following a 2022 incident in which a computer was stolen.
Malunga said the 2022 case remains unresolved.
He also disclosed that since 2021 the office has sought relocation to a more secure building, but the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development has cited limited office space.
Central West Police Region spokesperson Foster Benjamin confirmed that investigations are ongoing.
