Paedo slapped with 12 life terms
SENTENCED: Gerhard Ackerman appears in the dock at the South Gauteng High Court. Picture: Itumeleng English/African News Agency (ANA)
A paedophile has been sentenced to 12 life terms in the high court in Johannesburg.
Gerhard Ackerman faced more than 700 charges related to him running a child sex trafficking ring.
He was sentenced on charges of rape, human trafficking, attempted murder and malicious damage to property.
In handing down his sentence on Monday, Judge Mohamed Ismail said Ackerman’s sentences will run concurrently, meaning he will only serve one life term behind bars.
Ismail further declared Ackerman unfit to work with children. He added that Ackerman showed no remorse throughout the trial.
Ismail reprimanded Ackerman during proceedings after he raised his hand in an attempt to address the court, reports IOL.
“This is not a school. You cannot just raise your hand. It’s rude and also distracting,” the judge said.
Moments after he was sentenced, Ackerman fired his lawyer and asked for a retrial.
Ismail instructed Ackerman to file his motion for a retrial with the court and State by November 15 and the motion for retrial will be heard on November 30.
IOL previously reported that Ackerman was convicted on charges including attempted murder, rape, sexual exploitation of children and sex trafficking.
Ackerman was charged alongside acting judge and senior advocate Paul Kennedy.
The two ran the human trafficking ring between September 2020 and July 2021.
Kennedy died by suicide.
The men were charged with sexually grooming children, being in possession of child pornography, creating child pornography, committing rape, sexual assault, compelled rape, compelled sexual assault, human trafficking, sexually grooming children and benefiting from sexually exploiting children.