Gevaar vir kinders: Hof wyer borgtog aan vermeende kinderpornografie verspreider

Sannon Angelo Manuel, aangekla van kinderrypmaking en pornografie-oortredings, is borgtog geweier nadat dit as ‘n gevaar vir kinders beskou is.

’n Pa, wat daarvan beskuldig word dat hy ’n kinderversorger en kinderpornografieverspreider is, is borgtog geweier nadat die hof bevind het dat hy ’n gevaar vir sy en ander mense se kinders is.

Sannon Angelo Manuel (32), wat van kinderversorging, die onwettige besit van kinderpornografie, onwettige verspreiding van kinderpornografie en onwettige vervaardiging van kinderpornografie aangekla word, is Dinsdag deur die Mitchells Plain-landdroshof, Wes-Kaap borgtog geweier nadat hy versuim het om buitengewone omstandighede te toon. wat sy vrylating regverdig het.

Van kinderpornografieversamelaar tot kinderpornografieskepper

Manuel het in sy borgtogaansoek aan die hof gesê hy is die broodwinner wat sy vrou, twee minderjarige kinders, sy pa en suster onderhou het. Hy het gesê hy is in goeie gesondheid, maar dit sal waarskynlik in die Pollsmoor-gevangenis versleg aangesien die toestande vuil en oorvol was.

Senior staatsadvokaat Evadne Kortje het egter aan die hof gesê voorlopige forensiese ontleding het aan die lig gebring dat Manuel, wat van ‘n vurige kinderpornografieversamelaar na ‘n kinderpornografieskepper verander het, uitvissing gebruik het om sy niksvermoedende minderjarige slagoffers te kies en te werf.

Hy is op 19 Januarie 2024 gearresteer na ‘n wenk van die Verenigde State se binnelandse veiligheid dat hy deel is van ‘n internasionale sindikaat wat kinderpornografie versorg, vervaardig en versprei het.

Daar is gevind dat Manuel ‘n gebruiker van ‘n sosiale media-webwerf was waar hy CSAM-foto’s kon bekyk en sy versameling kinderpornografie kon opbou.

“Voorlopige forensiese ondersoek dui daarop dat hy tussen 12 April 2021 en 19 Januarie 2024 ‘n versameling van 115 000 beelde en 20 000 video’s van kinderpornografie bymekaargemaak het,” het Eric Ntabazalila, streekwoordvoerder van die Nasionale Vervolgingsgesag (NVG) gesê.

Minderjarige slagoffers was afgepers en gedreig

Die staat het ’n beroep op ondersoekbeamptes kaptein Shaun van der Heever en ao Barnard, wat getuig het dat hulle tot dusver twee minderjarige slagoffers van 12 en 14 jaar oud uit die Goodwood- en Milnerton-gebiede geïdentifiseer het, en twee ander slagoffers is nie geïdentifiseer nie.

The investigating officers told the court that Manuel would allegedly befriend minors by pretending to be the same age as them and sending them someone who was their peer.

“He inquired about their addresses, the layout of their homes, the security systems at their homes, their family members, and whether they had younger siblings, and then requested that they send him pictures and videos of their private parts,” Ntabazalila said.

“They would send those to ‘their friend’ and as soon as they sensed that something was wrong, they would demand, blackmail them, and threaten to post the images and videos on social media.”

The court heard that the victims went along with his demands out of fear of what their friends and family would say after seeing the pictures and videos. The victims believed they were in a relationship with him because they were so convinced by his lies.

Kortje argued that Manuel benefitted, participated in, and contributed to the mass sexual exploitation of children around the world.

Due to the nature of his offences, more victims and witnesses will be identified after the full forensic analysis of the evidence from Manuel’s cell phone.

According to Magistrate ZT Varoyi’s judgment, Manuel’s victims were wondering what had happened to their boyfriend because he had not been in contact with them. Although they don’t know Manuel, he knows their houses, families, and security systems.

“He has managed to groom and manipulate them to the point where they must comply with his demands. Not only other people’s children must be protected, but his children also need to be protected against him,” Ntabazalila said.

After the denial of his bail application, the matter was postponed to 27 June for further investigation.

27 child porn manufacturers and distributors identified in SA

According to the NPA, there were over 300 000 chat groups on social media, of which 35 large groups were actively manufacturing and distributing child pornography.

Out of the operation, 27 targets in the country were identified, and four targets in the Western Cape, including Manuel, were all arrested and have appeared before courts.