Darren Wilken and Tiona Megan Moodley, appear at the Randburg Magistrate’s Court in Johannesburg on 28 January 2025. Picture: Nigel Sibanda / The Citizen
Tonia Moodley has accused her partner Darren Wilken — who is facing charges of possessing and distributing child pornography — of controlling her throughout their relationship.
Bail proceedings for the case continued in the Randburg Magistrate’s Court on Friday after being postponed earlier this week.
On Monday, Wilken’s lawyer requested an adjournment to strengthen their affidavits in response to the state’s opposition to bail.
This delay sparked frustration from Moodley’s legal team.
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The couple is facing a range of serious charges, including possession and distribution of child pornography, money laundering, fraud, contravention of the Drug Trafficking Act, acquisition and possession of unlawful proceeds, plus possession of stolen property.
Wilken was apprehended on 17 January during a police raid at a Midrand property, where officers confiscated R647 000 in cash, drugs, and electronic devices.
Following further investigations, Moodley was allegedly implicated in the case and arrested on 25 January in Houghton.
Moodley, through her affidavit read by Advocate Nigel Riley, denied playing any role in the operation allegedly run by Wilken through a website called Dankmegaz during Friday’s proceedings.
The website, according to the state, contained explicit images of very young children and young teenage girls, which were up for sale.
Additionally, the state alleged that Moodley’s FNB bank account received R420 000 in 2023 and R1.2 million in 2024 through various transactions.
However, the 25-year-old web designer, who claimed to be unemployed and financially dependent on her partner in her bail application, denied that the money was derived from criminal activities.
“Despite them doing an in-depth analysis of the bank accounts, did my client in any way derive those funds from proceeds of child pornography? It doesn’t exist,” Riley said.
The defence lawyer indicated that Moodley, who holds multiple bank accounts, also denied the money laundering charges against her.
“There [are]no allegations that money laundering was for any illicit purpose. It’s all speculation and insinuation.”
The girlfriend further accused Wilken of controlling her throughout their two-year-and-seven-month relationship.
“It must be accepted or considered by the court that my client states that she was in a misogynistic relationship.
“Her bank accounts were controlled by the first applicant. She was told, ‘You spend money here, you don’t spend money there, and you transfer here’,” Riley said.
In an earlier affidavit read out by Attorney Dian Oosthuizen on Monday, Moodley stated that she was “currently single,” while the boyfriend stated that he has been in a “stable relationship” with her since 2022.
It was revealed in court that the couple had been living together in Midrand since 2023, but their lease was allegedly cancelled after Wilken’s arrest.
Meanwhile, Wilken, through his affidavit read out by Attorney Johan Eksteen, reiterated on Friday that he was not a flight risk.
“The investigating officer alleges that I am a flight risk due to the possible sentence that may be imposed.
“I will ever submit that I have not been convicted and will stand my trial similarly to numerous other suspects who are released in matters where even longer terms of imprisonment may be imposed.”
This statement follows the state’s argument on Monday that the couple had frequently travelled to countries like Thailand and Bali, “where trafficking of children is rife”.
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The state, through investigating officer Hendrikus Johannes Boshoff’s affidavit, also contended that the couple had financial means to evade trial, citing R647 300 in cash found at their property.
Wilken, however, dismissed these claims, arguing that Thailand and Bali are simply popular travel destinations.
“There’s absolutely no evidence that I, in any way, manufactured any material or was involved in the trafficking of children.
“This is again a baseless speculation by an investigating officer, which I strongly deny,” he said.
Eksteen further expanded on the matter, criticising the state’s assumption that travel to these Asian countries automatically implies involvement in child trafficking.
“If that is what the state wants to say, that if you go there, you must be involved in child trafficking or to obtain child pornography. That is really ridiculous; we should just say the least of it.”
Judgment on the bail applications has been reserved and will be delivered on Valentine’s Day, 14 February.
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