CRIME & COURTSSOUTH AFRICA

High Court Sentences Serial Rapist to 42 Life Terms

The Pretoria High Court sentenced Nkosinathi Emmanuel Phakathi to 42 life terms in prison after convicting him on multiple serious charges, including 90 counts of rape and 43 counts of kidnapping.

The court delivered the sentence on Friday, confirming that Phakathi’s life sentences will run concurrently, effectively ensuring he spends the rest of his life behind bars.

Phakathi’s crimes took place in and around Ekurhuleni from 2012 until his arrest in 2021. He preyed on victims, including school-aged children, often targeting them while they were traveling to or from school or work.

Lumka Mahanjana, spokesperson for the Gauteng National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), revealed that Phakathi’s youngest victim was only nine years old. The oldest victim was a 44-year-old woman.

Initially facing 203 charges, the State withdrew 55 minor counts, leaving 148 to which Phakathi pleaded guilty.

His modus operandi involved posing as an electrician to gain access to homes, where he would commit his heinous acts, sometimes in the presence of children.

Investigators linked Phakathi to the crimes through DNA evidence and a detailed modus operandi report. Warrant officer Tlala John Mokoena from the South African Police Service investigated a total of 96 case dockets.

Activists from the #NotInMyName movement have called for significant prison terms for such offenders.

“The sentence must be as harsh as possible for this individual. We need action, not just words,” emphasized Themba Masango, secretary general of the organization. “Severe penalties are essential to deter potential perpetrators from committing these horrific crimes.”

The court’s ruling underscores a growing demand for justice in the face of gender-based violence in South Africa.

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