Child sex abuse ring kingpin Gerhard Ackerman was convicted in the Johannesburg High Court on Monday of more than 700 charges, including possession of child pornography, rape, human trafficking and sexual grooming of a child. Judgment was handed down by Judge Ismail Mahomed.

Initially, Ackerman pleaded not guilty to all charges. His co-accused, advocate and acting judge Paul Kennedy, who allegedly paid for the victims’ transportation to Johannesburg, committed suicide while on bail in February 2022. 

Ackerman is suspected of running the child sex abuse ring between 2019 and 2021 with the assistance of Kennedy. Ackerman used social media to find vulnerable teenage boys, trafficked them, sexually groomed them and sold them for sexual services to clients.

Ackerman encouraged the boys to perform sexual acts with Kennedy, who was HIV positive. 

‘Rented out’

The investigation into the sex ring began after a young boy told a policeman, Henry du Plessis, about a massage parlour where he was “rented out” by Ackerman to massage adult males.   

Judge Mohamed Ismail said: “The boys were taught how to massage potential clients of the accused and… to perform the happy ending of customers. The accused pimped the vulnerable boys for a living.

“It is common cause in the matter that the accused met the majority of the complainants on Facebook and social media.”

The court found that Ackerman recruited boys, trained them to massage clients, made appointments for them to massage clients, and asked them to make videos.  

Gerhard Ackerman in the Johannesburg High Court on 24 April 2023. (Photo: Gallo Images / Papi Morake)

The judge said that 664 images of child pornography were found on Ackerman’s cellphone. 

He found that Kennedy played a role in recruiting minors to work for Ackerman in his massage parlour.

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“That he took his life was tragic but not unexpected as he brought shame unto himself and the profession he represented. As an advocate, he realised that the game was up and therefore committed suicide. In doing so he denied the victims getting closure in the role he played in this episode.”

National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Phindi Mjonondwane said there would be more arrests and prosecutions related to the case.

“The NPA anticipates that we will continue to work on the matter in order to obtain additional prosecutions as a result of this outcome. This is just the start.”

Ackerman will be sentenced on 18 July. DM