Ekurhuleni serial rapist evaluation under spotlight at next appearance
At his previous court appearance last year, Phakathi’s lawyer, Advocate Letau Kgokane, brought forward an application to have his client mentally evaluated.
A mental observation report of Nkosinathi Phakathi, dubbed the Ekurhuleni serial rapist, is expected to be handed in at the Pretoria High Court when he appears in the dock on March 27.
At his previous appearance in the Pretoria High Court sitting at the Palm Ridge Magistrate’s Court, it was revealed that Phakathi was to be admitted to a psychiatric hospital.
This was meant to support the evidence presented by the defence’s clinical psychologist, Dr Lynette Roux, who suggested Phakathi showed signs of emotional depression, hallucination and schizophrenia.
Phakathi’s lawyer, advocate Letau Kgokane, brought forward an application to have his client mentally evaluated to support the defence’s version that his client should serve his sentence at a psychiatric facility.
Kgokane told the court that this aspect needed to be cleared up by the psychiatrist who would examine Phakathi.
Roux’s psychosocial report, compiled for the defence, stated Phakathi heard a voice in his head that told him who to rape when he committed his crimes.
Also Read: Ekurhuleni serial rapist claims evil spirits made him do it
Roux said the results of tests she administered, comprising over 400 questions, indicated Phakathi needed psychological and spiritual interventions.
The matter will return to court on March 4 at the Benoni Regional Court.
Conviction
He was found guilty of 90 charges of rape, compelled rape (four), causing a child to witness a sexual act (three), kidnapping (43), theft (four), sexual assault (two) and assault with the intent to cause grievous bodily harm (two) last year November.
Phakathi was initially charged with 203 charges. According to NPA regional spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana, the State withdrew 55 of the 203 charges.
Phakathi’s victims were between 10 and 44 years old. He pretended to install meter boxes or geysers or said he was a house inspector or a food distributor or someone looking for directions when approaching his victims.
He would rob and rape his victims while threatening to kill them if they reported the matter to the police.
He was arrested in March 2021 in Barcelona, Etwatwa, after police searched for him for years following a series of rape cases reported in various areas between 2012 and March 2021.
Also Read: FOLLOW-UP: Case against alleged serial rapist transferred to high court
