Africa-Press – South-Africa. A judge reprimanded alleged child sex ring leader Gerhard Ackerman on Thursday after he swore in court during a witness’s testimony.
Ackerman appeared in the Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg for the continuation of his trial when the investigating officer took the stand.
The officer testified about Ackerman’s arrest alongside senior advocate and acting judge, Paul Kennedy, who has since died by suicide.
While the officer was relaying information he had received from one of the alleged victims, Ackerman shook his head and laughed out loud.
A short while later, he loudly referred to the officer’s sexual assault allegation as “bullshit”.
But Judge Ismail Mohamed interjected and told Ackerman to behave himself.
“These outbursts and profanities will not be tolerated by this court,” Mohamed said.
“One more outburst and you will sit downstairs, and the trial will continue without you.”
“This is not a shebeen.”
ALSO READ | Hundreds of child porn images, videos allegedly found on Advocate Paul Kennedy, accused’s devices
Ackerman apologised and said he would not do it again.
It wasn’t the first time Ackerman had commented during a witness’s testimony.
Crime spree
Ackerman pleaded not guilty to 740 charges, including possession of child pornography, rape, human trafficking, sexual grooming of a child, and sexual assault.
Most of the charges relate to the alleged possession of child pornography and a child sex ring has been accused of running, along with the involvement of Kennedy, between 2019 and 2021.
Kennedy died by suicide before the trial started.
However, Ackerman’s alleged crime spree, according to the indictment, started in 2007.
He also allegedly forced an 11-year-old boy to touch his genitals in a public bathroom at an upmarket country club in Johannesburg in 2018.
For More News And Analysis About South-Africa Follow Africa-Press
