Suspected Ekurhuleni Serial Attacker Pleads Guilty to 148 Charges for Reign of Terror Since 2012

• Suspected serial rapist, Nkosinathi Emmanuel Phakathi, pleaded guilty to 148 charges in the Palm Ridge magistrate’s court
• He is accused of numerous charges, including rape, sexual assault, and possession of an unlicensed firearm
• Phakathi’s alleged attacks date back 10 years ago, and his alleged victims were aged between 12 and 20 years old

GAUTENG - Suspected serial rapist Nkosinathi Emmanuel Phakathi’s guilty plea statement is expected to be read in court on Wednesday, 2 November.

He pleaded guilty to 148 charges in the Palm Ridge magistrate’s court in Ekurhuleni on Tuesday, 1 November.

The 32-year-old is accused of rape, sexual assault, kidnapping, robbery with aggravating circumstances, theft, and possession of an unlicensed firearm.

The alleged attacks date back to 2012; his alleged victims were between 12 and 20. Phakathi initially faced 203 charges; however, the state dropped the 55 charges, according to TimesLIVE.

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Prosecutor Salome Scheepers said that Phakathi is linked to at least 93 rape cases.

Phakathi has been in a prison hospital since last March after being shot in the leg while allegedly attempting to flee from the police. SowetanLIVE reported that Phakathi’s leg has since been amputated.

Alleged Joburg serial killer suspected of killing 6 women beat a 2021 assault charge

In a related matter, Briefly News also reported the 21-year-old man arrested after the corpses of six women were found at a Johannesburg panel beater and had a previous rape charge filed against him. The accused was arrested in June 2021 in connection to a sexual assault case. However, the complainant withdrew the case in 2022.

Though six bodies were found, the suspect was only charged with one count of premeditated murder when he briefly appeared in the Johannesburg magistrates court on Tuesday, 11 October.

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National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Phindi Mjonondwane said the alleged serial killer was only charged with one count because authorities only had evidence connecting him to one murder, TimesLIVE reported. Mjonondwane added that the NPA directed that additional investigations must be made into the circumstances surrounding the deaths of the remaining women.

Source: Briefly News