Hmmm...
I think that there is a BOFH at work here, or possibly a PFY... it's just not as obvious as it appears...
1. You have someone who for some reason isn't that well liked, possibly even the 'head' of IT. Just think about it.. he was being diciplined for 'poor performance at work'... let's face it, there isn't a manager born that actually knows what his IT department does. If someone knows that he is a poor performer (might coencide with being a nethack expert) you can bet your bum that it's because someone has been slipping words in the big boss' ear.
2. The entire system becomes locked, and there is only 1 person who could have locked it down (or so it seems)...
3. That person, after he gets arrested, cooperates with the police and gives up the password(s), but for some reason or other, it (they?) don't seem to work anymore... he must be lying... surely?
4. The police seem to think that there might be someone else involved as well, but can't seem to prove anything...
5. I'm just surprised that this poor fellow hasn't became stuck in a lift yet.
I wouldn't be that surprised that after this guy gets porridge some clever pimply faced youth somehow manages to crack the password and gets a promotion to top it all off ;o)