Convicted Sex Trafficker, Gerhard Ackerman Receives 12 Life Sentences for His Horrific Sex Crimes in Johannesburg

Convicted sex trafficker and child rapist Gerhard Ackerman, has been given 12 life sentences for his involvement in a sex abuse ring he operated in Johannesburg.

Ackerman appeared in the Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg on Monday, where Judge Mohamed Ismail handed down the sentences for the numerous charges he was found guilty of, totalling over 700.

These life sentences were applied for each count of rape and human trafficking, which also included the rape of minors.

Judge Ismail described Ackerman as a "clearly wicked individual" who enticed children, and exploited them for his own gain.

Ackerman's convictions include:

- Human trafficking

- Exploitation of minors through sexual means

- Possession of child pornography, spanning hundreds of counts

- Creation of child pornography

- Grooming of minors for sexual purposes

- Indecent exposure to children

Most of Ackerman's criminal activities revolved around child pornography and the child sex abuse network he orchestrated. 

He committed most of these crimes in partnership with a well-known advocate and acting judge, Paul Kennedy.

While Kennedy faced arrest and charges alongside Ackerman, he tragically took his own life prior to the trial's commencement.

Late Paul Kennedy

Judge Ismail's ruling suggested that Kennedy's decision to end his own life came from the realization that his days were numbered after his arrest.

Running the child sex abuse ring involved Ackerman identifying vulnerable teenage boys from disadvantaged and troubled families via social media. 

Typically aged between 14 and 16, these boys were lured with promises of work at Ackerman's deceptive "massage parlour," which was essentially a front for his exploitative operations.

After coaxing the boys into working as masseurs, Ackerman would then traffic them to the brothel where they were harbored. 

Here, they were subjected to sexual grooming and ultimately sold to numerous clients for sexual services.

In another news, a woman has been arrested for brutally killing her parents and dismembering their bodies. See detailed story here.

[SOURCE]