South African restaurant rape accused pleads guilty
Cape Town, South Africa (PANA) – A man accused of raping a child in the bathroom of an upmarket Pretoria restaurant in broad daylight a year ago, on Monday pleaded guilty for the crime.
He has been identified as 22-year-old Nicholas Ninow, PANA reports.
The incident sparked a national outcry. The seven-year-old girl was attacked by the customer when she entered a toilet in Dros Restaurant.
The suspect was caught in the act by the girl’s distraught mother who was searching for her.
A video taken moments later showed the suspect covered in blood after angry patrons berating him.
The incident also sparked racial tensions after firebrand politician Julius Malema published a Twitter image of the suspect who is white (the victim is black).
Ninow who appeared in the Gauteng High Court was asked to plead to the charges of rape, assault, kidnapping, defeating the ends of justice and possession of an illegal substance.
He pleaded guilty to rape, the possession of drugs, defeating the ends of justice but not to assault. The kidnapping charge was withdrawn by the prosecution.
He admitted that after the crime, he flushed the victims underway in the toilet to get rid of evidence.
"At the time of committing the offence I acted intentionally, although I was under the influence of drugs and alcohol," the tearful defendant said.
Before Monday’s appearance, Ninow had been ordered to undergo observation at a psychiatric institution and he was found fit to stand trial.
Lawyer Riaan du Plessis previusly told the court that the accused was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 2013 and he used drugs regularly. He also previously attempted to commit suicide.
-0- PANA CU/AR 9Sept2019
