An investigation into child pornography in South Africa is ready for trial, police have told the regional court in Knysna.
William Beale (37) appeared in the court this week on charges of possession and distribution of child pornography images, and the state indicated to the magistrate that the investigation has been completed. Deleted images have apparently also been retrieved from Beale’s hard drive.
The case has been postponed to 14 August 2015 to allow time for copies of the docket and the charge sheet to be submitted to the defence attorney, Carl Jenne.
Beale was arrested on 13 January 2015, appeared in court on 14 January 2015 in the Plettenberg Bay Magistrate court and was released on bail R10 000. The case was postponed to 22 April 2015 in Plettenberg Bay and postponed to the 17 June 2015 in the Regional Court Knysna.
Beale is one of the 41 men arrested on a charge of child pornography in South Africa since the launch of the special investigation team last year. The suspects are still on trial in various courts around the country. A further 34 suspects have been identified and will soon be arrested.
“The investigation team is doing fantastic work,” says SAPS National Commissioner General Riah Phiyega. “The SAPS has been working with other law enforcement agencies all over the world.”
One hundred and forty suspects all over the world with the same images found in the possession of Beale have been identified since his arrest in January. Of these, 15 have been arrested.