Father testifies how alleged child-sex kingpin lured his son

The father of one of the alleged child sex-ring victims initially disapproved of his son travelling to Gauteng for an opportunity to learn to become a masseuse.

He testified at the Johannesburg high court on Wednesday about how his son was allegedly lured by Gerhard Ackerman to travel to Gauteng for the opportunity to change his life.

“My son came to me and said he had contact with a gentleman from Facebook saying he advertised that he could give young men an opportunity to make a living.”

The son referred to the man as “Gerrie” and told his father that he was interested in going to Johannesburg to learn to become a masseuse.

Ackerman allegedly told the child that he would train him and accommodate him at his home in Johannesburg.

“At first I didn’t want him to go and my son begged and pleaded. I asked him how he was going to get there and then he said Gerrie was paying for everything — the bus ticket — and that I just had to make sure he gets on the bus,” he said.

The father allowed his son to go but a day before the trip he changed his mind, saying he didn’t know who Gerrie was, whether the business was legitimate and if the child knew what he was he was getting himself into.

“The day before he was due to depart I changed my mind completely and said he is not going any more.”

The bus ticket had already been bought by Gerrie, who had sent the proof to the child’s phone.

“I [told him I] do not know this gentleman or anything about his business.”

“For a few days my son didn’t speak to me and after a few weeks he came back to me and [said] he was still in contact with Gerrie without me knowing about it and that he would love to go through with Gerrie and make [a] life for himself.”

This was in 2020 and at the time, the boy  was not in school. In a bid to convince his father to let him go, he said he  would get Ackerman to call him and confirm the legitimacy of the business.

Ackerman allegedly called the father, who asked about his work and opportunities that were offered to young people.

“Ackerman said he was trying to give young people a life, to help them to become something,  to make a living,   and he was offering to help them to become masseuses.”

He subsequently asked Ackerman if the business was legit, and that they would only learn to do massages and there would be no touching and no sexual intercourse.

Ackerman allegedly told the father that the business was legit and even advised him to “Google it”,  while  promising that “there wasn’t any funny business like sexual contact”.

“I said to my son it was his choice. There was another young gentleman that I spoke to as well who was working there [Ackerman's business] and he confirmed that it was a legit business,” testified the father.

After speaking to Ackerman and the other young man on the phone, he was at ease and subsequently allowed his son to go. Ackerman booked the man's son a new bus ticket from Harrismith to Johannesburg.

When in Johannesburg the father called his son, who told him that he was enjoying what he was doing and that he was making a lot of money. He had to ring off as  there was another client booked.

The father testified that they had a brief discussion that day. 

One Friday afternoon he received a call from a detective stating that they should meet at a garage in Harrismith as he was bringing his son back to Free State.

The father then drove to Harrismith with his wife to pick up their son.

“On my way driving back home, my son was saying 'sorry daddy, sorry daddy I f**ked up I am so sorry'.” 

The man told the court that at that point, he had not spoken to the detective. The detective had spoken to the wife and his son appeared to be upset, kept crying and apologising.

The father testified that his wife told him that the detective indicated that the child was doing massages, was entertaining clients, and the clients were allowed to touch him.

“My son informed me a day after he came back that he had to massage the clients, touch the clients and had to let the clients touch him and play with him and do things with him that are sexually involved,” testified the father.

The touching involved touching the clients’ private parts.

“He was in tears. He was upset and traumatised and he didn’t really want to tell me anything. He said he was sorry [that] he didn’t listen to me the first time when we told him he can’t go. He kept apologising and saying it is his fault, he should have listened.”

When prosecutor Valencia Dube asked the father what could have pushed his son, he replied it could have been money.

“He wanted to make something of his life because he was tired of staying at home at the time. He wanted to work and I said unfortunately you can’t work because you are under age. He said it was the best opportunity for him to make something out of his life — being taught something,” said the father.

Earlier on Thursday, the high court revoked Ackerman's bail and ordered that he be  placed in custody under supervision of correctional services. He is set to remain in prison until the end of his trial.

The court held an inquiry after Ackerman failed to show up in court on Thursday, citing ill health. The state subsequently sought a warrant of arrest after the investigating officers couldn’t locate him.

The court heard evidence through witness statements that Ackerman allegedly wanted to buy an illegal gun and commit suicide as he believed that he wouldn’t get a fair trial. Other affidavits allege that he told a witness he wanted to relocate to Cape Town and then flee to Botswana.

Judge Ismael Mohamed ruled that Ackerman should be placed in custody under supervision.

“If it means he is isolated or he is kept under CCTV [surveillance] and to this end I want the state to ensure they do it,” he said. 

The court has since learnt that Ackerman's bail conditions were amended at the Johannesburg magistrate's court while his matter had already been moved to the high court. 

The court found that Ackerman couldn't be held responsible as it seemed it was an attorney who was behind the application at the lower court.

“If the laws were changed and were bent, it was not Mr Ackerman's fault,” said Mohamed. 

Ackerman faces 740 charges related to a child sex ring, to which he has pleaded not guilty.

His trial will continue on Thursday where one of his alleged victims, a minor, is expected to testify in camera. 

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