South African actor arrested for child pornography and denied bail

The Durban court has denied bail to a 58-year-old South African actor who was arrested during an international crackdown on online predators.

Speaking to journalists on Friday, May 3, after the actor appeared in court, National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Natasha Ramkisson-Kara said his arrest is part of a joint operation between the SAPS Serial and Electronic Crime Investigation Unit and the US Department of State Home Affairs. The operation has resulted in the arrest of 13 people so far.

He was arrested at his Glenwood flat last Tuesday and police seized images and chats, allegedly involving information about boys available for sexual favors for R2,500 and a willing buyer who had the option to drug them.

The case was adjourned until June 3 so that police could conduct further investigations.

It was further learned that police also arrested a 62-year-old man on April 24 and seized thousands of child pornography images and videos. They reportedly found images of children being sexually abused on his device. During the operation, social development helped remove children aged six and four months who lived on the same premises.

Witnesses said police spent more than an hour with the actor at his flat before arresting him.

The SAPS previously confirmed that 27 people in South Africa had been identified in a joint investigation between SAPS and the US homeland and arrested separately.