East London man, 52, locked up on child pornography charges

A 52-year-old East London man was remanded on Thursday after he was arrested for charges related to child pornography.

The alleged sexual predator was arrested on Tuesday for possessing, distributing, accessing, downloading, facilitating, and watching child pornography as part of an ongoing operation to target online child sexual predators.

Hundreds of child pornographic images found

According to Eastern Cape police spokesperson Colonel Priscilla Naidu, the man was allegedly found with hundreds of child pornography images on his devices by a forensic investigator.

“During the operation, cell phones, laptops, and various storage devices were seized,” Naidu said.

The suspect is one of the 27 internet child sexual predators that were discovered in South Africa as part of a joint international operation, the police said.

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As a result, on 5 March, members from the Serial and Electronic Crime Investigations (SECI) head office, SECI in Eastern Cape and the Department of Homeland Security Investigations of the US Embassy carried out the takedown and arrest.

The man appeared at the East London Magistrate Court on Thursday and was remanded until 14 March for a formal bail application.

The Eastern Cape Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Nomthetheleli Mene, applauded the arrest and said: “The arrest of this sexual predator marks a significant step in our ongoing efforts to protect our community’s most vulnerable members from exploitation and abuse. Those who engage in such reprehensible activities will be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”

Suspect arrested in February

On 27 February, a suspect, also aged 52, was arrested for possession of child pornography in Polokwane, Limpopo.

This came after members of the SA Police Service national and Limpopo provincial Family Violence, Child Protection, and Sexual Offences teams dealing with serial and electronic crime investigations were activated about the suspect, who was in possession of child pornography material.

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The man was arrested at the Cycad Shopping Centre parking lot at 8am. The team proceeded to his residence to collect more evidence and searched the premises where he stays with his family.