Convicted paedophile, Gerhard Ackerman, will have to wait until next month before he finds out how hard the justice system will come down on him.
The sex ring kingpin, who is convicted of more than 700 charges including those of rape, attempted murder and child trafficking counts, appeared before High Court in Johannesburg yesterday.
It is alleged that Ackerman ran a sex abuse ring, which fronted as a massage parlour in Johannesburg.
During Tuesday’s proceedings, a psychologist report was presented in court. It revealed that Ackerman has a paedophilic disorder, meaning it’s highly unlikely that he will ever be rehabilitated.
In April this year, the 52-year-old was convicted on charges of rape, human trafficking and the unlawful possession, creation and distribution of child pornography.
Ackerman was also found guilty of attempted murder for letting one of his HIV positive clients, who was a well-known senior advocate and acting High Court judge Paul Kennedy, to sleep with the young boys who worked for him.
The State is calling for Ackerman to be handed a life sentence, with Prosecutor Valencia Dube asking for 10 years each for the eight counts of attempted murder for each of the eight boys who tested positive for HIV after having slept with Kennedy.
Kennedy took his own life last year, a year before court proceedings got underway.
Facts on paedophilia:
According to Psychology Today, Paedophilia is an ongoing attraction to pre-pubertal children.
It is a paraphilia, a condition in which a person’s sexual arousal and gratification depends on objects, activities, or even situations that are considered atypical.
Pedophilia is defined as recurrent and intense sexually arousing fantasies, sexual urges, or behaviours involving sexual activity with a prepubescent child or children—generally age 13 years or younger.
Written by: Nokwazi Qumbisa
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