Ekurhuleni serial rapist found guilty of 148 charges, sentencing postponed

Ekurhuleni serial rapist, Nkosinathi Emmanuel Phakathi, has been found guilty of 148 criminal charges, including more than 90 charges of rape.

Ekurhuleni serial rapist

The Palm Ridge Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday delivered judgment in Phakathi’s trial.

This follows his guilty plea last week, that was read out in court, detailing how the 32-year-old went on a rampage in Ekurhuleni for almost a decade targeting mostly children.

Acting Judge Lesego Makolomakwe postponed the sentencing to 8 and 9 December 2022.

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Phakathi pleaded guilty to 148 charges, including 93 rapes, 42 kidnappings, six of compelling a child to witness a sexual act, four of forcing a minor to rape, two of assault and two of sexual assault.

His youngest victim was a nine-year-old girl and his oldest victim was a 43-year-old woman. Most of the victims Phakathi preyed on were either walking to and from school.

He initially faced 203 charges but the National Prosecuting Authority dropped 55 charges against him, taking them to 148.

Phakathi has been behind bars since his arrest in March 2021. During his arrest, he was shot in the leg when he allegedly fled from police who were trying to apprehend him and his leg had to be amputated.

Serial rapist’s victims

According to the State’s indictment, in June 2012 Phakathi raped a 12-year-old girl in Benoni and three months later, raped a woman near Sgodi Cemetery in Daveyton.

The nine-year-old girl he raped had returned home from school to fetch her lunch money when Phakathi raped her.

In another incident, Phakathi raped a 15-year-old girl while she was on her way to school and robbed her of R10.

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