I could see in his eyes that Ninow was using drugs, claims witness
A state witness in the rape trial of Nicholas Ninow testified on Monday that the accused was high on drugs the day of the crime.
Ninow is on trial for the rape of a 7-year-old girl in the bathroom of a Dros restaurant in Silverton in September 2018.
Two witnesses testified on day one of the high-profile trail in the high court in Pretoria on Monday.
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The second state witness, Johan Lodewyk, told the court that although he did not know Ninow, he could see in his eyes that he was high.
“The way he was acting away, I could see in his eyes that this guy was using drugs,” he said.
A Dros employee, who also testified but did not want to be named, told the court about the frantic search for the 7-year-old girl after she disappeared from the play area.
She said Ninow was found in the bathroom without a shirt.
“I only saw the top part of his body. He was not wearing anything in his upper body. That is when we heard the child crying and calling her mom. He tried to hit us with a belt twice.”
Ninow pleaded guilty to two acts of rape, substance abuse and defeating the ends of justice.
The trial will continue on Tuesday.