The pre-trial hearing of the Hermanus IT technician facing charges of the possession of child sexual abuse material (child porn) has been postponed owing to technical difficulties.
The accused appeared briefly in the Hermanus Regional Court last Friday. The prosecutor told the court that, although the state had met with the investigating officer and the accused’s attorney, they could not view all the footage related to the case. She explained the defence could not consult with his client to receive instructions.
The IT technician was arrested in June 2025 by members of the Western Cape serial and electronic crime investigation unit (SECI) after a tip-off from the National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) in the USA. He was released on R10 000 bail shortly after his arrest.
On Friday, the prosecutor told the court that the parties met the previous week to view the footage, allegedly found in the accused’s possession. The parties, however, could not view certain files because they could only be viewed on the investigating officer’s laptop, which was unavailable on the day.
The court was also informed that an analyst was compiling a summary and classifying the various images. This will be provided to the accused’s attorney for him to consult with his client.
The case was postponed to 27 November. The accused cannot be identified as he has not pleaded to the charges against him.
In a separate case, a businessman also arrested in June 2025 on three counts of rape, sexual grooming and exposure of a minor to pornography, will appear in the regional court later this month.
He has been in custody since his arrest – at his business premises – by members of the Hermanus Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) unit.
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