Nicholas Ninow denied leave to appeal conviction, sentence
He applied for leave to appeal both his conviction and sentence, arguing that the judge had erred in finding that the crime was premeditated.
Nicholas Ninow arrives in the dock at the North Gauteng High Court, 16 September 2019, Pretoria. Picture: Jacques Nelles
The Gauteng High Court in Pretoria has dismissed convicted rapist Nicholas Ninow’s leave to appeal both his conviction and sentence.
Judge Mokhine Mosopa handed down his judgment on Tuesday morning, finding that there are no reasonable prospects of success in an appeal.
He subsequently dismissed Ninow’s application.
Ninow applied for leave to appeal both his conviction and sentence, arguing that Mosopa had erred in finding that the crime was premeditated.
This is despite originally entering a guilty plea on charges of rape, defeating the ends of justice and being in possession of an illegal substance. This was rejected, as his version contradicted the State’s evidence.
After a week-long trial in September 2019, Ninow was found guilty of raping a seven-year-old girl in the bathroom of a Dros restaurant in Pretoria in September 2018.
In October 2019, Ninow was sentenced in the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria to life in prison for the rape, five years for defeating the ends of justice and an additional five years for the possession of an illegal substance.
The sentences are to run concurrently.
More to follow.
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