Metro

South African serial child-sex offender bags 12 life sentences

Published

1 year ago

August 14, 2023

A 52-year-old serial child-sex offender, Gerhard Ackerman, has been sentenced to 12 life sentences for his extensive record of sexual crimes against children by a High Court in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Ackerman had earlier been convicted in April on more than 700 counts including rape, attempted murder, sex trafficking, and sexual exploitation of children.

Presiding Judge, Mohamed Ismail, who handed the sentence on Ackerman on Monday, ruled that the 12 life terms would run concurrently with no room for a parole, which he said underscored the gravity of his crimes.

In the landmark trial in April, the court had found Ackerman guilty of attempted murder and an array of sexual offences targeting minors, with a predominant focus on young boys.

Some of the charges against Ackerman, according to state prosecutors, included “grave sexual offences, rape, human trafficking, the sinister grooming of minors, as well as the production, possession, and distribution of child pornography.”

The ourt disclosed that Ackerman was also under trial for a separate case of child sexual abuse, allegedly committed at a Johannesburg country club in 2018.

The prosecutors also told the court that Ackerman’s partner in crime, Paul Kennedy, had “tragically died by suicide in February 2022, prior to the commencement of the trial”, which cast a “somber shadow over the proceedings.”

“Kennedy had been implicated in aiding Ackerman’s operation of a harrowing child sex abuse ring, with additional allegations of transmitting HIV to certain victims referred to him by Ackerman,” the court heard.

“Following the sentencing, a twist emerged as Ackerman took the surprising step of dismissing his legal representation. Speaking to the press, he staunchly maintained his innocence against the majority, if not all, of the charges levied against him. Ackerman announced his intention to petition for a retrial of the case,” local media reported after the sentencing.

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Metro

Following backlash, Nigerian govt withdraws treason charges against minors

Published

3 hours ago

November 5, 2024

Isaac Dachen

The Nigerian government has officially withdrawn the treason charges it entered against some minors who participated in the #EndBadGovernance protest that spread across the country from August 1 to the 10th.

The nation was thrown into shock on Friday when the Nigeria Police presented 76 protesters at the Federal High Court in Abuja on charges bordering on treason. Among the suspects were four minors who slumped before they could be arraigned before the court.

This caused serious uproar in the country with Nigerians condemning the government and calling for the unconditional release of the kids and the dismissal of the charges against them.

The decision to withdraw the charges against the underage accused came following a directive by President Bola Tinubu who ordered the immediate withdrawal of the charges and an in-depth investigation into what led to the arrest and detention of the minors.

Tinubu had also ordered the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, (SAN) to officially take over the case file as well as review the cases following public outcry that came with the arraignment of the minors.

The charges were finally withdrawn on Tuesday at the Federal High Court in Abuja through an application for discontinuance filled by the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation (DPPF), Mohammed Abubakar, on behalf of the AGF.

According to Abubakar, the discontinuance application was based on provisions of sections 174(1), (b) and (c) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, and 108 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, ACJA, 2015.

The DPPF also applied for further proceedings to be conducted without the presence of the minors in the courtroom, in line with provisions of Section 266(b) of the ACJA, 2015, and Section 1 of the Childs’ Rights Act.

In response, human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Fanala (SAN), who stood in for the accused as well as other defence lawyers in the matter, did not oppose the applications which promoted the judge, Justice Obiora Egwuatu, to strike out the charges, while the four affected minors were also delisted from the charge sheet.

Metro

Zambia: President Hichilema urges traditional leaders to invoke rainmaking powers amid drought

Published

21 hours ago

November 4, 2024

Isaac Dachen

Zambian President, Hakainde Hichilema, has called on traditional leaders to call upon their rainmaking powers by praying for rain as the nation continues to face the menace of drought.

Hichilema, who made the plea while speaking during the Shikaumpa traditional ceremony of the Ila people in Namwala on Sunday, expressed hope for divine intervention and sufficient rains.

“We pray that this year, God will give us rains, sufficient rains, so we can grow more food, so we can take care of the things, the assets that we keep,” the President stated.

He noted that he was informed of certain chiefs known for their rainmaking abilities, including Senior Chief Mwamba of Northern Province, Chief Sailunga of North-Western Province and Mwami Monze from the Southern Province and urged them to use their powers to invoke rain, adding that the chiefs should continue their prayers for rain, believing that “God will hear our cry.”

The President also encouraged not only the chiefs but also the churches and the entire nation to join in prayers for rain.

“All of us, the churches, everybody, we must pray for rains so that we can take care of God’s people properly,” he said.

The head of state further urged farmers to intensify efforts at planting crops and maximizing their harvest for national food security once the rain comes.

The drought in Zambia in recent
seasons have left 84 districts severely impacted, leading to food shortages and a worsening electricity deficit due to low water levels.