Child sex abuse ring kingpin Gerhard Ackerman found guilty of over 700 charges

Ackerman was acquitted of at least seven charges and found guilty on more than 700.

Gerhard Ackerman in the dock of the South Gauteng High court, 24 April 2023. He was found guilty of more than 700 rape charges. . Picture: Neil McCartney / The Citizen

The Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg has found sex ring kingpin Gerhard Ackerman guilty of more than 700 charges including rape, attempted kidnapping, sexual exploitation, sexual grooming, and possession of child pornography.

Child sex abuse trial

Ackerman’s trial started in January, which saw him taking nearly two days to plead not guilty to 740 charges.

Despite maintaining his innocence on 19 April, saying he did nothing wrong because the young boys “knew what they were doing”, Johannesburg High Court Judge Ismail Mahomed said Ackerman exploited children and targeted their vulnerability with a number of the boys coming from disadvantaged homes.

Ackerman was acquitted of at least seven charges and found guilty on more than 700.

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The trial ran on and off for three months, where prosecutor, Advocate Valencia Dube, led the evidence of more than a dozen witnesses and presented hard evidence in the form of WhatsApp conversations from Ackerman, as well as forensic reports on the child pornography found on his cellphone and laptop.

Discharge application

After the State closed its case, Ackerman brought a Section 174 discharge application, where he was acquitted of two rape charges relating to him allegedly performing oral sex on two different complainants, two boys aged 15 and 16.

Throughout his trial, Ackerman made several concessions, including how he allowed boys as young as 14 to give massages to his clients, knowing that they would be sexually abused. He, however, still believed that he did nothing wrong.

However, it is alleged Ackerman also requested pornographic images and videos from the children and sometimes paid them for the content. These would reportedly be distributed to his clients, including Paul Kennedy.

Kennedy was arrested and charged alongside Ackerman for the crimes allegedly committed between 2019 and 2021.

The full list of charges Ackerman faces include:

639 counts of unlawful possession of child pornography.
Two counts of unlawful creation of child pornography.
Two counts of unlawful importing or procuring of child pornography.
One count of unlawful distribution of child pornography.
Three counts of benefitting from the sexual exploitation of a child.
Eighteen counts of the sexual grooming of children.
Five counts of exposure or display of genital organs to children.
Five counts of using children for or benefitting from child pornography.
One count of malicious damage to property.
Three counts of attempted murder.
One count of unlawful transactions facilitating the distribution of child pornography.
Five counts of human trafficking.
Three counts of benefitting from the services of a child victim of trafficking.
Two counts of allowing a premises to be used to facilitate trafficking in persons.
One count of distributing information that facilitates or promotes trafficking in persons.
Four counts of conduct that facilitates trafficking.
Seven counts of rape.
Seven counts of sexual assault.
One count of compelled rape.
One count of compelled sexual assault.
Eleven counts of sexual exploitation of children.
Three counts of furthering the sexual exploitation of a child.