Ekurhuleni serial rapist accused Nkosinathi Emmanuel Phakathi on Wednesday walked into the quiet courtroom with the assistance of crutches with his face covered with a mask.

The 32-year-old is facing 148 charges of rape, sexual assault, kidnapping, robbery with aggravating circumstances, theft and possession of an unlicensed firearm. He is on crutches after one of his leg was amputated following a gun wound injury. Phakathi was shot by cops allegedly when he was trying to escape arrest.

While public gallery remained empty at the Palm Ridge magistrate’s court, Phakathi sat in the dock with his head facing down most of the time, try to evade the attention of the media after earlier scramble by journalists to take his pictures of Phakathi as he hobbled into the court from the holding cells underground.

According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), Phakathi is expected to read his guilty plea statement through his lawyer Adv Letau Kgobane.

On Tuesday Phakathi pleaded guilty to all charges he is facing. He was initially facing 203 charges but the NPA spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana said the state dropped 55 charges against him, taking the charges count down to 148. 

Prosecutor Salome Scheepers said Phakathi is linked to at least 93 rape cases. After he pleaded guilty, acting judge Lesego Makolomakwe granted permission to members of the media to film and publish Phakathi’s face.

Prior to this, the media were only allowed to take pictures of him from the back.

Phakathi from Daveyton on the East Rand, has been in a prison hospital at Modderbee Correctional Services Centre since his arrest in March last year. His leg was amputated after he sustained a gunshot wound by police.

He allegedly terrorised women in Ekurhuleni metro, mainly in areas east of Benoni,  for nine years. He was arrested at Barcelona section in Etwatwa. Victims of his alleged spree included children as young as 12 in Daveyton, Putfontein and Crystal Park.

kokam@sowetan.co.za