Convicted child rapist, Nicholas Ninow, took the stand in the High Court in Pretoria yesterday and tearfully read out a poem he wrote to his
seven-year-old victim.
He also apologised to his ouma and baby son, who was born while he was in prison.
He blamed his actions on his drug addiction.
He told the court that he was on tik and khat on the day of the incident,
saying: “My state of mind was not that of a sober person, I wouldn’t have done what I did if I was sober.”
Ninow was testifying in mitigation of his sentence and he read a letter he wrote to the family of the girl he raped in a toilet at the Dros restaurant in Silverton last year.
State prosecutor Dorah Ngobeni put it to Ninow that the reason he was
testifying was because he wanted a lenient sentence.
But Ninow said: “No, that’s not the case. Like I said, I owe it to these people, I would feel better about myself if I apologise.”
However, Ngobeni argued that if Ninow was indeed remorseful, his
evidence would not have been
contradictory with that of the victim.
Ninow blamed this on his vague
recollection of events, saying that he was affected by the alcohol he consumed and drugs he used on the day.
He maintained that he did not plan to rape the child.
Ngobeni said Ninow was described by his own fiancée in a probation officer’s report as being more sexually active after drinking and drugging, but said he had never forced himself on her.
The court also heard that Ninow has been doing drugs while in jail. “There’s drugs everywhere in prison,” he said.
The matter continues.
African News Agency