Gerhard Ackerman’s attraction to children ‘part of his psychology’, likely to reoffend

Convicted child sex abuse kingpin Gerhard Ackerman is, according to a psychologist report, likely to reoffend if released to the public.

Following psychiatric evaluation, clinical psychologist Colonel Kirsten Clark told the court that Ackerman had a paedophilic disorder which meant rehabilitation might never work due to the “lifelong disorder, [which] is part of that person’s psychology”.

Gerhard Ackerman’s case

Giving her testimony for the State in the sentencing proceedings of Ackerman in the Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg, Clark noted that rehabilitation could prove even more difficult because Ackerman presented with a cognitive distortion in that he genuinely believed what he did was not wrong.

Despite having not evaluated Ackerman, Clark made the diagnosis based on legal records, including the conviction and evidence before the court.

Rehabilitation unlikely, reoffending likely

Clark said research indicated that chances of rehabilitation are 0.5%, saying: “Their attraction to children is part of their inherent psychology”. 

Prosecutor Valencia Dube said the Johannesburg High Court should not deviate from imposing a life sentence for each of the 22 rape and child trafficking convictions against Ackerman.

Dube said there were no substantive and compelling circumstances that should force the court to deviate from imposing the prescribed minimum sentence of life in prison for each of the rape and child trafficking convictions. 

Other charges

She had no objection to the other convictions, including the creation and possession of child pornography, running concurrently with the life sentences.  

“The court should also consider the well thought-out and execution of the plan by the accused to bring the children to the accused’s place of residence.

“He was the main person bringing the kids and he was the one speaking to parents, and arranging for transport,” Dube added. 

She also asked for 10 years each for the eight counts of attempted murder for each of the eight boys who tested positive for HIV. 

2 000-year sentence

However, Herman Alberts, Ackerman’s lawyer, proposed that all sentences should run concurrently with a life sentence.

Alberts said if the court were to impose a 10-year sentence for each of the 253 counts of possession of child pornography images, the sentence would be more than 2 000 years, which would be for show. 

“All sentences should run concurrently with the life sentence and will allow for parole after 25 years,” Alberts noted.

Ackerman’s sentence will be passed on 14 August.