Media taken out of court in Nicholas Ninow case as victim takes stand

The media have been instructed to wait outside the High Court in Pretoria as the girl who was raped in the bathroom by Nicholas Ninow will give her version of events on Wednesday.

The Citizen photographer Jacques Nelles said the media were taken outside the courtroom due to an instruction not to publish any evidence given by the victim.

The victims’ mother’s identity has also been kept secret to protect the identity of the victim.

The eight-year-old girl was raped in the bathroom of Dros in Silverton, Pretoria, last year. The media is currently awaiting the mother’s testimony.

The NPA issued a statement informing the public that she would testify briefly via CCTV with the support of an intermediary from the court.

Ninow has been charged with rape, assault, kidnapping, defeating the ends of justice and possession of an illegal substance. He pleaded guilty to all counts, with the exception of the assault charge. A kidnapping charge against him was withdrawn.

On Monday, a witness who said he had met Ninow on the day of the rape, and was bought beer and tequila by him, testified that he found Ninow naked and covered in blood following the incident, at which point he called the police.

According to this witness, Johan Fourie, Ninow offered drugs to the manager of the restaurant before raping his then seven-year-old victim.

On Tuesday morning, a childminder at the Dros on the day of the incident took the stand, breaking down in tears as she expressed her feelings of guilt over the incident.

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.

The covered up TV screen where Ninow’s victim will be testifying from. Picture: Jacques Nelles.

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