Sophia Michaels
The Durban magistrate’s court has denied bail to a 58-year-old South African actor who was arrested in an international crackdown on online predators.
Addressing newsmen on Friday, May 3, after the actor appeared before the court, National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Natasha Ramkisson-Kara said his arrest is part of a joint operation between SAPS’ serial and electronic crime investigations unit and the US homeland department. The operation has so far resulted in the arrests of 13 people.
He was arrested at his Glenwood flat last Tuesday and police seized images and chats allegedly about information relating to boys available for s3xual favours for R2,500 and a willing buyer having a choice to drug them.
The case was adjourned till June 3 to allow the police to carry out more investigation.
It was further learnt that the police also arrested a 62-year-old man on April 24 and seized thousands of child p*rn images and videos. They allegedly found images of children being s3xually abused on his device. During the operation, social development helped remove children aged six and four months living on the same property.
Witnesses said police spent more than an hour with the actor at his flat before he was arrested.
The SAPS previously confirmed that 27 people had been identified in South Africa in a joint SAPS and US homeland investigation and were being arrested separately.
