Namibia: Child-abuse, pornography case sent to High Court

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Namibia: Child-abuse, pornography case sent to High Court

9:17 CAT | 12 Apr 2022

Johann Maree

A Windhoek resident accused of sexually abusing teenage boys should stand trial in the High Court on a total of 75 criminal charges, the prosecutor general has decided.

The prosecutor general’s decision was communicated to Johann Maree (50) when he made his latest appearance in the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court on Friday.

Maree was informed that the prosecutor general has decided to arraign him in the Windhoek High Court on 75 charges – including 24 counts of rape, 10 charges of using a child to create child pornography, 18 counts of child trafficking and 13 charges of supplying alcohol to a child under the age of 18 or allowing a child under the age of 16 to drink liquor.

In the list of charges provided to the court and to Maree, 15 teenage boys who are alleged to have been sexually abused or exploited by Maree are mentioned.

Thirteen of the boys were allegedly raped or indecently assaulted, while 10 of the boys are alleged to have been used to make child pornography.

During his court appearance, Maree was also informed that he has to appear in the High Court for a first pretrial hearing on 21 July.

Maree, who is a former police officer and police reservist, has been held in custody since his arrest at the end of April 2020.

He applied to be granted bail in August last year, but his application was turned down in the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court in October.

During the bail hearing, Maree testified that he was making a living as a photographer and private investigator and was running a modelling website for boys before his arrest.

He told the court he was denying the allegations that led to his arrest, but also confirmed that he had made a confession to a magistrate in Windhoek in June 2020.

In the confession, Maree admitted that he had sexual encounters with several boys that he is accused of having sexually abused during the period from 2016 to 2020, the court was informed.

According to Maree, though, he made the statement to the magistrate under duress.

Source: The Namibian