WHITE RIVER – The school principal charged with child pornography is set to appear in the local magistrate’s court on February 14. The state previously postponed the case.
A court document previously stated that the case was held up due to it being part of a wider police investigation that spanned various provinces. The report attested there were three cases running concurrently – at the magistrate’s courts in Pretoria, White River and Potchefstroom.
The investigation was receiving priority treatment by a dedicated team of police officers attached to the PHO: Gauteng (Family Violence Child Protection Sexual Offences Unit).
The document stipulated that due to the large amount of evidence, the investigating team was awaiting the finalisation of various forensic reports.
Seven suspects have appeared in courts across the country with regard to the same investigations by police and Interpol.
Media had reported the case had links to Canada, the United Kingdom, the United States, Western Europe, and Australasia.
Three suspects in South Africa were also being investigated after a tip-off from a Dutch group called Terre des Hommes.
Lowvelder confirmed that three were definitely in South Africa and Interpol had received the information which the group had found. However, it could not be ascertained which provinces these suspects resided in.
Terre des Hommes had set up a trap on the Internet which identified 1 000 paedophiles worldwide in just two months and had handed over the information to Interpol.
The principal is out on R1 000 bail.
Read more here
