VIDEO: Dros rapist blames drugs
The 21-year-old man said he never planned to rape the child, but acted on impulse after bingeing drugs for three consecutive days.
Nicolas Ninow has blamed drugs for why he raped a seven-year-old girl in the bathroom at a Dros restaurant in Silverton in the east of Pretoria.
This as Ninow took the stand at the North Gauteng High Court on Wednesday morning where sentencing arguments were heard.
The 21-year-old man said he never planned to rape the child, but acted on impulse after bingeing drugs for three consecutive days.
“I didn’t target her,” he said
“Me sober and me high are two completely different people.
READ MORE: Dros rapist to be sentenced
“Sober minded I wouldn’t have done that, not to a little child.”
Ninow said his history of violence was all based on the fact that he had taken drugs and alcohol.
He pleaded guilty to two counts of rape and possession of drugs.
Ninow said his drug use clouded his judgement even though he knew what he was doing was wrong.
He said he could not remember many of things that happened on the day and as a result could not agree with some versions of events.
“I remember going into the women’s bathroom and doing drugs,” he said.
READ MORE: UPDATE: Mother of 7-year-old Dros rape victim testifies
“I do not remember even following that girl.”
Prosecutor Dorah Ngobeni accused Ninow of trying to get a lighter sentence by blaming drugs and alcohol.
She said Ninow had planned the entire ordeal, which is why he tried to flush the girl’s underwear, a deed which he admitted to.
Ninow responded that his attempt to flush the girl’s underwear was when he realised what he had done.
He also admitted to using drugs during the 13 months he was in custody, saying that drugs were easily available.
READ MORE: NEWSFLASH: Nicholas Ninow guilty of rape, possession of drugs
He wrote a poem to the child which he recited in court and a letter to the family.
In both documents, Ninow apologised for the damage he has caused and says he hopes to make it up to them.
“Although an apology might be meaningless to you, I would like to apologise to you regardless,” the letter reads.
“I want you to know that I did not plan this and I also did not intend to cause harm. I honestly don’t know what possessed me in that moment in the bathroom and I am 100% deserving of punishment and all the bad publicity.
“I hope one day you could forgive me once I have proven worthy of that forgiveness.”
Ngobeni argued that Ninow’s drug use made him a danger to society and called that he be given a harsh sentence.
“I put it to you that the reason you wrote that letter was because you are trying you get a lenient sentence,” she said.
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