'Dros rapist' Ninow planned to harm his victim, says NPA after seven-year-old testifies

The seven-year-old girl Nicholas Ninow admitted to raping at a Dros restaurant in Pretoria last year contradicted his version that she walked into the bathroom cubicle while he was in it.

National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Phindi Mjonondwane provided the media with an overview of the child’s testimony on Wednesday. This after the young victim testified in-camera in the Pretoria high court on Wednesday. No one was allowed in the courtroom when she testified.

Mjonondwane said the child was called to disprove Ninow’s version of events.

“The accused in his version said the child found him in the bathroom, so it was important for the state to then call the child to come and testify about the sequence of events - that in fact the accused person followed the child to the bathroom,” said Mjonondwane.

“By doing that, we wanted to prove to the court that by following the child he had intention to harm the child.”

The state, according to Mjonondwane, also wanted to prove that Ninow’s actions were premeditated.

“We wanted to prove that by following the child, he had already planned to harm the child and do what he did to the child,” she said.

Describing the child’s testimony, Mjonondwane said: "She did very well … We wish to commend the child. She’s an intelligent child. She did well. We are very proud of her."

Ninow pleaded guilty to rape, defeating the ends of justice and possession of drugs. He did not plead guilty to assault.

The child’s mother testified after her daughter took the stand. She told the court that she had found Ninow naked in the bathroom cubicle, and saw him wipe his penis with her daughter’s underwear.

The case continues on Thursday with arguments by both the state and defence.