TRIAL OF MAN ACCUSED OF RUNNING SEX RING WITH SA'S OWN JEFFREY EPSTEIN TO BEGIN

The 53-year-old man, who cannot be named at this stage, is facing over 700 counts of rape, sex trafficking and child pornography.

Kgomotso Modise | 23 January 2023 10:00

JOHANNESBURG - The trial of a man accused of being part of a sex ring with prominent human rights lawyer Paul Kennedy is set to begin in the Johannesburg High Court on Monday morning.

The 53-year-old man is facing over 700 counts of rape, sex trafficking and child pornography.

Kennedy died by suicide last year while facing charges relating to the possession of child pornography.

He was known for his work as a legal representative for prominent South African figures, and made an appearance at the State Capture Commission of Inquiry.

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SA'S EPSTEIN

According to court papers, Kennedy - whom some say could be dubbed South Africa's Jeffrey Epstein - and his co-accused targeted teenage boys from across the country.

The State believes that like Epstein’s right-hand lady Ghislaine Maxwell, Kennedy’s co-accused had boys delivered to the lawyer’s Saxonwold residence, where they were allegedly groomed to perform lewd sexual acts on him.

The boys were allegedly also groomed to perform massages on Kennedy, which often advanced to acts of rape and sexual assault.

While Kennedy died by suicide while out on bail last year, his co–accused still has hundreds of counts to answer to.

While the State said the trial should be set down for two weeks, the presiding judge, Mohamed Ismail, said that with the number of counts being investigated, the case was likely to run for at least an entire court term, which is three months.

WATCH: Could this man be South Africa's very own Jeffrey Epstein?

https://ewn.co.za/2023/01/23/trial-of-man-accused-of-running-sex-ring-with-sa-s-own-jeffrey-epstein-to-begin