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An international investigation has led to the arrest of well-known Durban entertainer Anthony Stonier, also known as the ‘Pantomime King’ on charges related to child pornography this week.
Anthony Clive Stonier, a veteran in the local entertainment industry, was arrested during a dramatic raid at his Durban home last week, after arresting his alleged accomplices at a previous date.
Hundreds of images and videos of children were seized from his devices by the on-scene forensic investigator.
According to Police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe, “The 58-year-old entertainer is the 12th person to be arrested during these ongoing operations”.
“The SAPS Serial and Electronic Crime Investigations (SECI) unit, KZN police and the US Department of Homeland Security arrested Stonier for the possession, distribution, accessing, downloading, facilitating, viewing and manufacturing of child pornography. The arrest was executed by the newly appointed head of the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Investigation Service,” said Mathe.
“Hundreds of images and videos of children were seized from his devices by the on-scene forensic investigator. Included were chats with a previous accused arrested in Umbilo.”
The chats contained, among other things, information relating to boys who “are available for sexual favours at (the) price of R2,500 and that a willing buyer has the choice of them being drugged or not,” Mathe said.
“Investigators were shocked by the atrocious images of prepubescent children being sexually abused found on the suspects’ devices.
“During the Malvern operation, the Department of Social Development assisted the team with the removal of two children aged 6 years and 4 months who were living on the same property.”
A team of local and foreign law enforcement officers arrested Stonier as he made his way down the stairs leading from his flat on Cato Road. Officers took him back inside his home where they spent several hours before he was taken to the Umbilo police station.
Stonier, who has featured in at least 20 pantomimes in Durban over the years, lives above the popular coffee haunt, The Coffee Tree, which opens at 6AM.
Clients had already lined up to get their caffeine fix when they noticed numerous law enforcement officers had gathered nearby. Eyewitnesses said a group of officials with “foreign accents” arrived in a car with “diplomatic (number) plates” and people with “American accents” formed part of the enforcement team.
“Then a person with search warrants, a few people with shirts with ‘homeland’ on them, mostly women, they seemed to be collecting evidence. There were at least 15 people in total,” the witness said.
The arrest of the ‘flamboyant actor’ rocked Durban’s close-knit entertainment community. He has racked up multiple awards as an actor, singer, composer and pianist during his career, including Durban Theatre Awards and a Vita Award.
One entertainment writer once even referred to Stonier’s legs, often seen in heels and hosiery during his shows, as “a world heritage site”. Stonier will have to get used to shackles from now on, with one X user pointing to another solution to the scourge of child abuse.
Am I the only one seeing the solution to the problem? https://t.co/dq4B9svDTU
— Mbali Mashinini (@mbalis_bakery) April 28, 2024
[source:iol]
