A 49-year-old former police officer, who allegedly filmed under-aged boys and sold video footage of the minors on the “dark web”, yesterday pleaded not guilty to 40 counts of child pornography in the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court.
Johann Wickus Maree answered “not guilty to all 40 counts” after public prosecutor Like Phelem put the charges to him.
His taxpayer-funded lawyer Eva Nangolo confirmed that the pleas were in accordance with her instructions, and informed magistrate Ndapewa Amadhila that they will not offer a plea explanation, opting to remain silent for the State to prove all charges against Maree. She further informed the magistrate that she will bring a formal bail application in due course.
Maree was remanded in custody after the State opposed bail, citing the seriousness of the offences he is charged with, and possible abscondment because of his ties to South Africa and Australia.
Maree is facing eight counts of rape, eight of indecent assault, eight charges of committing an immoral act with a child under the age of 16, eight counts of trafficking in persons by recruiting under-age boys with the intent to subject them to sexual exploitation, and eight charges of using children to create child pornography.
In total, Maree is facing 40 charges. It is alleged that up to 34 children were victims of the alleged sexual exploitation and abuse. The prosecution is alleging that Maree raped and sexually abused the minor boys between 2016 and last year. At the time of his arrest in May last year, the police indicated that they had been carrying out an investigation in collaboration with the Netherlands police, the South African police and Interpol since 2019. The police investigations centred around pornographic video recordings of minor boys which have been uploaded to the “dark web” of the internet. The videos were allegedly connected to the username Maree. Maree, who worked as a private investigator and sports photographer, was allegedly operating a website under the name ‘Boy Idols’. Through police investigations, it was discovered that Maree sold pictures of boys modelling clothes and swimwear. According to the police, videos obtained through investigations show minors performing various sexual acts in bathrooms. Other videos were filed in toilets and swimming pools at sporting events in Windhoek. These videos were also allegedly sold on the internet. The minor boys, who were allegedly preyed on, sexually abused and videotaped by Maree for a pornographic business, are currently undergoing counselling for the trauma. The matter was remanded to 27 September for the prosecutor general’s decision on where and on what charges to arraign Maree.
rrouth@nepc.com.na