The man was arrested in August along with five other men from across South Africa following a tip-off from Interpol.
The suspect was arrested on 15 August at a Jukskei Park complex. Warrant Officer Balan Muthan, communications officer for the Douglasdale Police Station, said that the suspect was found in possession of child pornography. “Police officers seized tapes and CDs,” he said. Muthan added the distribution of pornography was often linked to human trafficking.
The 45-year-old man was released last week after the case was struck from the roll at the Randburg Magistrate’s Court.
However the other South African men who were implicated in the child pornography ring bust in August may still face judgement since the case is to return to court once the director of public prosecutions has supplied a certificate confirming that the trial should proceed.
The police are also liasing with Interpol with regards to three additional South Africans who are suspected of being part of the same international child pornography ring.
The men were identified by a Dutch children’s rights group who created a fake online child know as ‘Sweetie’ who lured potential paedophiles into chatrooms on the internet.
