A South African Pakati man has been sentenced to 42 life sentences by the Johannesburg High Court for a series of serious crimes including rape, kidnapping, theft and assault.
According to a statement from the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), Pakati’s victims included schoolchildren, the youngest being a nine-year-old girl and the oldest a 44-year-old, the BBC reported. .
Most of the victims were attacked on their way to and from school or work, but Phakati also targeted some in their own homes. Posing as an electrician, he gained access to the premises under false pretenses before carrying out the attack.
The judge said Phakati “shows no signs of remorse and there is no room for rehabilitation.” According to a report by the BBC, he was arrested in 2021 and lost his leg after being shot by police in the process.
During the sentencing, Pakati appeared in court wearing a blue tracksuit and a mask on crutches.
South Africa has long struggled with high rates of violent crime, with sexual violence and murder rampant across the country.
According to a BBC report, recent police data revealed that more than 9,300 rape cases were reported between April and June this year, an increase of 0.6% compared to the same period last year.
