A South African serial rapist, who preyed on children as young as nine years old, has been sentenced to 42 life terms in prison. Nkosinathi Phakathi, aged 40, was convicted of 90 counts of rape, spanning a series of horrific assaults carried out between 2012 and 2021.
Phakathi often subjected his young victims to additional torment, sometimes forcing children to watch as he attacked others. In certain cases, he even coerced young boys to assault their female friends. His violent crimes primarily took place in the Ekurhuleni region, just east of Johannesburg.
On Friday, the Johannesburg High Court handed down the severe sentence, which included charges of rape, kidnapping, theft, and assault. The judge acknowledged the overwhelming evidence of his remorseless nature and ruled that he was beyond rehabilitation.
Phakathi’s victims were mostly schoolchildren, with his youngest being a nine-year-old girl and the oldest a woman aged 44. Many of his attacks occurred as the victims were on their way to or from work or school. In some instances, he gained access to their homes by pretending.
