Johannesburg - Convicted rapist, child sex abuser and porn ringleader Gerhard Ackerman was slapped with a sentence of 12 life terms in jail by the Gauteng High Court, Johannesburg, yesterday.
Ackerman, who faced more than 700 counts of rape, child pornography and human trafficking, indicated that he wants to file a motion for retrial after the judgment was handed down by Judge Mohamed Ismail.
A defensive Ackerman, who dismissed inquiries from the media on his state of mind and emotion, said he believed he is innocent on most, if not all, of the charges he has been found guilty on. This is despite Ackerman being fingered as a ringleader who orchestrated, actively organised and was paid to lure young boys to his so-called massage parlour.
Evidence presented throughout the trial indicated that Ackerman went as far as booking young victims from challenged households bus fares and hotel stays on behalf of his clients.
However, in defiance, he said he would be out by the end of November as he intends to challenge the judgment.
“I believe I am innocent of most, if not all, of the charges that they say I am guilty of. A few months is not a long time,” he said.
Ackerman has accused his legal council of failing him on the matter, adding that only his family and friends know him and the person he is.
Most of the explicit pornographic material was found on his laptop and cellphone and formed part of the evidence that was presented in court throughout the trial.
One of Ackerman’s clients, who also helped him with the ring, was senior advocate Paul Kennedy.
The life sentences were imposed for each of the rape and human trafficking counts, including the rape of minors.
Judge Ismail said Ackerman was a “plainly evil man” who had lured children and opened them up to abuse from other men for his own benefit.
He said the evidence was damning as it revealed his active involvement, having shown that he had run an elaborate human trafficking and sexual exploitation scheme for minors where he lured them to perform sexual acts for the benefit of his high-flying clients, including Kennedy, who committed suicide ahead of the start of the trial last year.
Last month, ahead of handing down the judgment, it was also revealed that Ackerman arranged a sexual encounter for Kennedy, knowing very well that he was HIV positive. It also emerged that the child is now diagnosed with full-blown HIV/Aids as a result.
Kennedy was arrested and charged alongside Ackerman, but he died by suicide while out on bail at his home before the trial had yet to resume.
In his judgment, Judge Ismail said Kennedy had killed himself because he realised his days were numbered following his arrest.
Most of the victims, aged between 14 and 16, were led to believe that Ackerman ran a massage parlour, which proved to be a front for sexual exploitation.
It was revealed during the trial that after convincing the boys to work as masseurs, Ackerman trafficked them to the brothel, where they were forced to perform sexual acts on clients, including Ackerman himself.
The harsh sentence against Ackerman was welcomed by Women and Men Against Child Abuse (WMACA), with founder Miranda Jordan saying it fit the severity of the crimes Ackerman committed.
“We are satisfied with the 12 life terms handed down to Ackerman today. This sends a strong message that the issues facing young boys are taken seriously. We welcome the sentence, as the lives of these boys were destroyed in the process,” she said.
The Star