Demands that Dros suspect be charged with attempted murder
The #NotInMyName movement has appealed to the Department of Justice add attempted murder to the list of charges faced by rape accused Nicholas Ninow.
Ninow made his second court appearance in the Pretoria Magistrates court on Wednesday morning.
He is facing charges in connection with the rape of a 7-year-old girl in the bathroom of a Dros restaurant.
#NotInMyName secretary-general Themba Masango says attempted murder charges should be added, as the suspect tried to kill the young girl.
“We are definitely happy that he has been remanded but furthermore we are calling on the Department of Justice to escalate this issue to attempted murder, because this was not only rape. He almost killed the child.”
Magistrate Mali Mokoena postponed Ninow’s case to November 1 for a formal bail hearing.
Masango says the suspect should plead guilty in order to save the child from any additional trauma.
“This needs to be bumped and make sure that it dealt with venomously and very quickly. And very quickly so that we can save the child added trauma from coming to testify at the court. We also pleading with him that he must plead guilt, because he knows what he has done.”
Members of the African National Women’s League (ANCWL) also joined the throngs of protestors outside court to show support for the 7 -year -old girl and her family.
The league’s provincial secretary Esther Nhlapo says society should turn its attention to educating the boy child on issues of gender-based violence .