Mpumalanga man allegedly caught with 9,000 child pornographic materials

A 57-year-old man from Emalahleni, Mpumalanga, has been arrested for possession of some 9,000 pieces of material containing child pornography.

According to police, the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit (FCS) received information from community members about a suspect who was storing pornographic material in his home.

Officers then planned a sting operation at the man’s home on Monday, 27 September.

During this operation, police found hard drives, laptops and tablets containing about 9,000 child pornographic materials, including videos.

Police also discovered an unlicensed firearm among his possessions.

The man has been charged with possession of child pornographic material.

The Emalahleni Magistrates Court granted the man bail of R1,000 and his case was postponed to 28 October 2021.

Mpumalanga police commissioner Lieutenant-General Semakaleng Manamela welcomed the “sterling efforts by the from Witbank [Emalahleni’s former name]”.

Manamela also commended the public for reporting the matter.

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The arrest comes shortly after last month’s seven-year sentence for Oudtshoorn resident Dale Mackintosh after he was convicted of owning child pornography.

Two of those years were suspended, meaning he will effectively serve five years.

During that trial, the Film and Publication Board analysed 200 images found in his possession. Expert testimony confirmed the pictures contained minors and should be classified as child sexual abuse material.

At the same time, a Cape Town mother was nabbed on charges relating to child pornography.

She was caught in a joint operation by local police and the US’s FBI for selling naked pictures of her four-year-old on the dark web.

“The FBI picked this up on the internet, and an agent from the [US’s] homeland security [department] acted as a buyer and traced her to Bonteheuwel via geotagging,” said National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) Western Cape spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila.

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