The court case involving a Plettenberg Bay man with alleged links to an international baby pornography network will be heard in a higher court.
The 37-year-old computer engineer appeared in the local magistrate’s court yesterday for the first time since he was released on bail following his arrest in January 13.
He was arrested following an investigation by Belgian and South African police after the man’s internet address was discovered when police found an online cyber meeting space for alleged paedophiles with fetishes including the sexual assault of babies. They discovered the “chat room” while using a Belgian child pornography suspect’s profile.
The matter was however postponed until May 12 for the case to be transferred to a higher court.
Several concerned residents as well as high profile members of Woman and Men Against Child Abuse (WMACA) staged a protest outside the court before and after proceedings to highlight the horrors of child pornography.
“We are satisfied that the matter will be heard in a higher court and part of the reason we are here today is to ensure that these cases go to the highest court possible. We decided to join residents today following several arrests of alleged paedophiles across South Africa over recent months. We want to highlight the seriousness of these crimes as they involve the rape, torture and murder of children for sexual gratification,” WMACA director Miranda Friedmann said.
“Our main aim [with the protest] is to actually eradicate child pornography altogether,” local resident and protest organiser Yvette Wilschut said.
Yolande Stander
Garden Route Media
Picture: Yolande Stander
