A 27-year-old man from the Cape Winelands has been sentenced to 35 years in prison after being convicted of creating and distributing child pornography that involved his young children.
To protect the victims’ identities, his name has not been released. The man faced multiple charges, including rape, child trafficking, and possession and distribution of child pornography.
According to authorities, the father exploited his minor daughters, aged six and four, and his infant son, aged one, to produce illicit material which he then sold online for financial profit.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) stated that the crimes occurred while he was unemployed and caring for the children at home. He married the children’s mother in 2018.
NPA spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila explained, “He decided to create child pornography to make money, especially when the exchange rate was R18 to the dollar. He connected with online groups after gaining access through administrative approval, and he began communicating with others involved in the online exploitation of children.”
Utilizing a messaging platform that allowed real-time sharing of images, he engaged with others involved in the online abuse of children. He confessed to creating and distributing sexually exploitative content involving his own children, earning between $5 and $10 per sale.
His activities were uncovered during an undercover operation conducted by a U.S. FBI task force investigating online child exploitation. Information from the Washington field office was shared with South African authorities, leading to his arrest on May 30, 2023. His cellphone, which contained evidence of his crimes, was seized during the arrest.
The man was charged with multiple serious offences, including two counts of trafficking in persons for online exploitation, four counts of rape, three counts of benefiting from child pornography, 629 counts of possession of child pornography, three counts of illegal distribution, and three counts of child abuse.
Senior State Advocate Evadne Kortje, who finalized the plea and sentencing agreement, described the case as a severe breach of parental duty. “He abused his parental rights and betrayed the trust placed in him by his young children,” she said. “He contributed to the sexualisation of children who should have been protected and kept safe from harm.”
Magistrate Gangadu, delivering the sentence, highlighted the increasing misuse of technology to exploit children and underscored the seriousness of these crimes.
The sentence includes an effective 35-year imprisonment, with a stipulation that he serve at least two-thirds of the term before being eligible for parole. Additionally, he has been placed on the national register of sexual offenders and is declared unfit to work with children or possess firearms.
