Assets of child-porn accused seized, including luxury car and R640,000

The Asset Forfeiture Unit (AFU) of the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has attached property belonging to Darren Wilken and his girlfriend Tiona Megan Moodley, who are accused of child pornography. 

The AFU launched an application in the Johannesburg high court to preserve cash seized at the crime scene in January as well as other cash in a frozen bank account belonging to the couple. The court granted this application on February 17.

“This followed the execution of a search and seizure warrant obtained on January 17 by the cybercrime unit of the police that initially arrested Wilken on, among other charges, manufacturing and distributing child pornography, possession of drugs, and money laundering,” NPA spokesperson Phindi Mjonondwane said.

She said Wilken allegedly operated a child pornography website, offering child sexual abuse material for sale worldwide.

“He operated this ‘enterprise’ from residential premises in a complex in Midrand, hosting child pornography on a website which contained what is believed to be the largest cache of such found in South Africa to date.”

She said Wilken’s luxury vehicle was also seized.

“It brazenly reflected a registration number KIDZ NA GP. The luxury vehicle, high-end electronic equipment and R647,300 in cash were the subjects of the search and seizure warrant.”

Wilken’s girlfriend, Moodley, was also arrested on charges of manufacturing and distributing child pornography hosted on a website, as well as money laundering.

After their arrest, the accused applied for bail and it was denied on February 14. The couple will be back in court on March 24 as their case was postponed for further investigation.

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