WATCH: Convicted child rapist Gerhard Ackerman given 12 life sentences

Convicted child sex abuse kingpin Gerhard Ackerman has been handed 12 life sentences for the rape and trafficking of minor children.

Ackerman appeared in the Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg on Monday.

In handing down the ruling, Judge Mohamed Ismail sentenced Ackerman for the more than 700 charges he had earlier been found guilty of.

Watch the sentencing for Gerhard Ackerman:

Ismail said Ackerman was a “plainly evil man” who lured children and opened them up to abuse from other men for his own benefit. 

Ackerman’s charges included rape, attempted kidnapping, sexual exploitation, sexual grooming, and possession of child pornography.

“The accused having been sentenced to 12 life sentences, will in essence serve one life sentence. It follows all sentences on other counts will run concurrently with that sentence,” said Ismail.

The judge said correctional services would determine when Ackerman would be eligible for parole. He was declared unfit to deal with children.

Sentence

The judge rebuked Ackerman for raising his hand during sentencing, telling him he should wait until he is done reading out the judgment.

“This is not a school where you can just lift your hands when you have the urge to do so. Apart from it being distracting, it is rude.”

Among the sentences, Ackerman was handed five years imprisonment on each of the eight attempted murder counts, which will run concurrently.

The 253 counts of child pornography on his cellphone, which if treated individually would equal a 2 530-year sentence, will run concurrently. Ackerman will serve 25 years for these.

He was given 25 years for child pornography found on his cellphone, and four years of concurrent sentences for pursuing and distributing child pornography.

On the charges relating to benefitting from child victims, he was given five years of concurrent sentences.

He was given three years for using his premises as a brothel, and 10 years of concurrent sentences related to rape.

For exposing himself, he was given one-year imprisonment on each count.

He was given five years for each charge related to making explicit videos to send to prominent human rights lawyer Paul Kennedy, to run concurrently.

ALSO READ: Child sex abuse ring kingpin Gerhard Ackerman found guilty of over 700 charges

Guilty

Ackerman had maintained his innocence. Ismail, however, said Ackerman exploited children and targeted their vulnerability with a number of the boys from disadvantaged homes.

During court proceedings in July, clinical psychologist Colonel Kirsten Clark told the court Ackerman had a paedophilic disorder which meant rehabilitation might never work.

Ackerman ran a child rape ring in Johannesburg where teenage boys were sexually exploited, linked with adult men who would perform sexual acts on them for a fee.

He was also accused of sending boys to acting judge and prominent human rights lawyer Paul Kennedy, despite knowing he was HIV positive.

Ackerman is also currently on trial in a separate matter where he allegedly molested an 11-year-old boy in a public bathroom at an upmarket country club in Johannesburg in August 2018. 

Additonal reporting by Reitumetse Makwea

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