This week, joint operations between the SAPS, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Department of Homeland Security led to the arrest of two suspects for sexual grooming, possession, downloading, manufacturing, and distribution of child pornography in different parts of Gauteng.
In the first operation, on Thursday, members from the national and Gauteng provincial Serial and Electronic Crime Investigations (SECI) Unit and Forensic Social Work (FSW), together with the FBI, acted on information supplied through an international tip line.
An investigation led the team to an address in Vanderbijlpark where they arrested a 49-year-old man who sexually groomed, sexually assaulted, and raped his girlfriend’s 15-year-old daughter.
In another takedown, on Friday, the team arrested a 41-year-old suspect, a former teacher and school principal in Pretoria on charges of exposing children to adult pornography and sexual grooming of boys between the ages of 10 and 12.
In this operation, the multi-disciplinary team comprised members from the national and Gauteng provincial SECI Unit and the Pretoria Central Family Violence, Child Protection, and Sexual Offences (FCS) Unit in collaboration with the Department of Homeland Security.
In both matters, the teams seized various electronic devices suspected of containing sexual child abuse images and videos, commonly known as child pornography.
These suspects are expected to appear before the Pretoria Central Magistrates’ Court and Vanderbijlpark Magistrate’s Court on 17 December 2024 respectively.
The state will oppose bail in both matters.
Members of the public are reminded that it is a criminal offense to possess, access, download, manufacture and share child pornography.
