Warning: This story contains disturbing details from the start.
A South African serial rapist – who attacked children as young as nine – has been given 42 life sentences.
Nkosinathi Phakathi was convicted of 90 counts of rape – attacks he carried out between 2012 and 2021.
The 40-year-old sometimes made children watch him rape his victims and also forced young boys to rape their girlfriends, South Africa’s National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said.
Phakathi’s crimes took place in or around Ekurhuleni, a municipality just east of the city of Johannesburg.
On Friday, the Johannesburg High Court heard that Phakathi was given 42 life sentences for charges including rape, kidnapping, theft and assault.
The most serious cases involving many victims often result in multiple life sentences.
The NPA said the judge agreed that Phakathi had “shown no remorse and was beyond rehabilitation”.
The majority of Phakathi’s victims were schoolchildren, the youngest being a nine-year-old girl, the NPA statement said. His oldest victim was 44 years old.
The NPA said Phakathi targeted many of these individuals as they traveled to or from work or school.
Phakathi also attacked some of his victims in their own homes, posing as an electrician coming to repair a household appliance to gain access, the statement said.
Phakathi lost his leg after he was shot by police during his arrest in 2021.
He attended Friday’s sentencing on crutches and wore a blue tracksuit and face mask.
South Africa is struggling with rising violent crime, with rapes and murders rampant.
More than 9,300 rapes took place between April and June this year, an increase of 0.6% compared to the same period last year, police data shows.
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