You are not humanitarian, you are evil, said judge Ismail Mahomed during the sentencing of Gerhard Ackerman in the Johannesburg High Court on Monday.
Ackerman was handed 12 life terms and multiple sentences for rape of children and human trafficking.
In April, Mahomed found Ackerman guilty of more than 700 charges including rape, attempted kidnapping, sexual exploitation, sexual grooming, and possession of child pornography.
The trial ran on and off for three months where prosecutor, advocate Valencia Dube, led evidence of more than a dozen witnesses and presented evidence contained in WhatsApp conversations and forensic reports on child pornography found on the accused cellphone and laptop.
The 52-year-old Ackerman previously told the court that he used to operate a massage parlour where the treatments would end with sexual acts, which he called happy endings.
During trial, the court heard that he allegedly abused boys aged between 14 and 16, groomed them, and benefited financially from facilitating their services with clients.
He pleaded not guilty to rape, human trafficking, distribution of child pornography, and sexual assault.
In court on Monday, Ackerman kept on raising his hand in a bid to question the judge’s remarks during sentencing, and requested to put forward a motion for a new trial.
He also fired his lawyer on the spot.
“We can do it in two weeks, I was just asking the court if it is suitable. I want to apply for bail,” Ackerman told the media before he was led down to the court’s holding cells.
Mahomed granted Ackerman until November 15 to submit his papers to Dube.
“The documents have to be ready for me [to prepare] two weeks [before the case is heard on November 30],” said Mohamed.
He lambasted Ackerman, telling him that he is not the only person to consider in the case. “You seem to be in a hurry to get this done.
“When I get here in November and you request for a postponement, I will not entertain it. You are not the only person involved in this case,” said the judge.
In his parting shot, Ackerman told the media: “When you are not one who likes speaking in public and your legal team fails you, you will go to jail and you cannot reach out for help. This system is broken and flawed.”
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