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Nkosinathi Emmanuel Phakathi was found guilty of 90 counts of rape, four counts of compelled rape, three counts of compelling or causing a child to witness a sexual act, 43 counts of kidnapping, two counts of assault, and four counts of theft by the Pretoria High Court sitting in Palm Ridge.
Lumka Mahanjana, Gauteng spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), said Phakathi committed the string of crimes in and around Ekurhuleni between 2012 and 2021, when he was apprehended.
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“The majority of his victims were school-going children, the youngest being nine-years-old, while the oldest was a 44-year-old female,” Mahanjana narrated.
“Initially, Phakathi was facing 203 charges. However, the State withdrew 55 minor charges. In court, Phakathi pleaded guilty to 148 charges and his guilty plea statement was read in court.
The serial rapist preyed on his victims as they left or returned from school or work in the mornings or evenings. “However, he targeted some in their own homes. He would pretend to be an electrician coming to fix a geyser or other household appliances and rape them.
“He raped some of his victims in the presence of children, in some instances when raping more than one person at a time, he made the other watch while raping the other, whereafter he would run or leave the house,” said Mahanjana.
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Phakathi was arrested and DNA evidence and a modus operandi linkage report linked him to some of the crimes.
According to Mahanjana, SAPS warrant officer Tlala John Mokoena investigated 96 dockets.
Following Phakathi’s appearance on Tuesday, the case was rescheduled for the pre-sentencing report and continuation of sentencing proceedings on December 8 and 9.
#NotInMyName activists called for long prison sentences for Phakathi earlier this month. “The sentence must be as harsh as possible for this animal. The courts must lock him up and throw away the key. We have just concluded the Gender-Based Violence and Femicide summit, and the president was sounding very performative. He was saying all the right things, but what is needed now is action on the ground,” secretary general of #NotInMyName Themba Masango said.
“Very harsh sentences need to be given out so that would-be perpetrators can be afraid. They need to be deterred from committing these heinous crimes.”