Ninow trial adjourns as Dros child-sitter present on day of rape breaks down in tears

The trial of self-confessed child rapist Nicholas Ninow in the High Court in Pretoria had to be adjourned on Tuesday morning after a childminder who was looking after the children at the Dros in Silverton, Pretoria, on the day Ninow raped a seven-year-old girl broke down in tears.

The witness, who chose to remain anonymous, explained that she left her job at the Dros franchise after the victim’s mother expressed her disappointment and made her feel like a failure, after which she couldn’t cope with the job.

She told the court that the words of the victim’s mother towards her have haunted her since the incident took place.

“She told me that she trusted me with her child and it felt like she placed all her trust in me,” she said.

“I was no longer coping, and when I would go to the toilet I would be scared. When I would register the child in the play area, I would doubt myself,” she continued.

The witness had led the victim to the toilets of the restaurant prior to the incident taking place. She told the court that she took her 15-minute lunch break after dropping the seven-year-old off at the toilets after she asked to be taken there.

The witness said the victim was with her mother and another young boy on the day of the incident. After returning from lunch, the witness saw the boy, but the girl was no longer with him, at which point she asked where she was.

READ MORE: Ninow offered drugs to Dros manager before he committed rape, witness says

She then looked for the child at the bathroom, pushing the door open with the help of four other people.

“We pushed the door of the toilet. The waiter and the mother came and assisted us in pushing the door.

“It was me, the child’s mother, the waiter found in the toilet, and two other waiters who were trying to push the door open,” she continued.

The witness first saw the victim, no longer wearing the tights she was when she had gone in, then found Ninow topless, wearing trousers with the zip open.

After being confronted by the mother’s child, Ninow threatened those there with a belt, at which point some ran away, according to the witness.

It has been reported that the mother of the victim will no longer be testifying in the trial on Tuesday.

(Compiled by Daniel Friedman)

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