Sex-ring accused Gerhard Ackerman 'very sick with food poisoning'

The Johannesburg high court postponed Gerhard Ackerman’s trial on Thursday after his defence told the court his client was sick.

Ackerman didn’t attend the proceedings.

“Unfortunately I received a voice note this morning from my client that he has food poisoning. He told me that he is unable to get out of bed, he is very ill, he is very weak and he will go to the doctor today,” his Legal Aid lawyer said.

The trial was postponed to Monday, when an official from the US department of homeland security is expected to testify. The official is expected to give an analysis of the WhatsApp voice notes and text messages found on Ackerman’s phone, which he allegedly used to link victims to his clients.

Ackerman is facing 740 charges related to the sexual exploitation of young boys, including sexual grooming, rape, attempted murder, human trafficking and living from the earnings of the sexual exploitation of children.

Advocate Paul Kennedy was a co-accused in the case, but he committed suicide in February last year. He was 63. According to the indictment, the pair targeted minors on social media platforms, including Facebook.

On Wednesday the court ruled that victims will testify on camera and that they will be helped by an intermediary of the court.

This after the police’s clinical psychologist, Col Kirsten Clark, who compiled reports on the victims, testified that though the victims met the requirements and the competence to testify in court, they were all considered to be vulnerable victims, due to a risk of retraumatisation or revictimisation.

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