Convicted Dros rapist Nicholas Ninow testified in court on Wednesday 16 October in mitigation of his sentencing. According to The Citizen Ninow said that he didn’t care about the consequences of his actions as he is a “different person” on drugs.
Ninow was found guilty of raping a 7-year-old in the bathroom of a Dros restaurant in 2018. He was found guilty in September 2019 by Judge Mokhine Mosopa.
The drugs Ninow used on the day of the violent incident were crystal meth and khat. He claimed the narcotics made him “angry and full of hatred” and that his actions were impulsive.
Speaking to the court Ninow said: “Sober-minded, I would never have done such a thing, not to anyone, never mind a little child. I could not get physical with anyone sober, I am not violent.”
According to Sowetan Live, Ninow said: “This is something I have to live with … I made a mistake. I intentionally did those things to her. I knew what I was doing. I was in a different mind state. There was no emotion attached.”
He then stated that his grandmother could attest to how he is a different person when under the influence of drugs.
According to Ninow, he had skipped work for two days before the incident to go on a drug binge. On the day of the incident, he had intended to go into work to sort things out with his manager. Instead, Ninow headed to Dros.
Ninow broke down crying, saying that his actions “break him” daily and that he is struggling to live with what he has done.
Niow also read a poem, 48 lines long, that he had written for the victim. He told the court that he had written a letter for her family too. He proceeded to apologise to his son for not being there when he was born. The child was born in December while Ninow was in prison.
The poem reads as follows:
“A broken heart,
of an innocent child,
her family falls apart,
and thats putting it mild,
She may never forgive,
nor even forget,
the pain I would leave,
and forever regret,
She may never understand,
and often be confused,
not knowing where she stands,
nor why she were abused,
She would awaken once again,
from the same bad dream,
barely even ten,
tears flowing like a stream,
With her mother by her side,
they sit and mourn as one,
and even though they tried,
they could never see the sun.
With the morning on it’s way,
She’d soon have to go to class,
always wishing she could stay,
but knowing she has to pass.
And during this all,
he sits in his cell,
starring at the wall,
knowing he’s in hell,
With a blade in his hand,
he could take away the pain,
buried beneath the sand,
feeling peaceful and sane,
The blade at his wrist,
he wishes he would die,
he then clenches his fist,
and started to cry,
He puts the blade down,
and wipes away his tears,
he then starts to frown,
and overcome his fears,
Knowing what to do,
he gets to his feet,
“I owe it to you”,
are the words he repeats,
He knows one day,
he’ll pay back his debt,
and that it would all be okay,
once he’s proven his regret. ”
Image: Twitter
