WHITE RIVER – The trial of a former school principal who is being charged with the possession of child pornography will start next month.
The man, who may not be identified until he has pleaded, appeared in White River’s Magistrate Court briefly on Friday. The case has been transferred to the Sexual Offences Court in Nelspruit and trial is scheduled to commence on March 18.
The principal has eight charges against him with regard to possession of child pornography.
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).
Seven suspects have appeared in courts across the country in connection with 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 the country and Interpol had received the information from the group. 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.
The principal is out on R1 000 bail.
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