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Earlier today, outside the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court, angry protesters gathered to voice their disgust towards the man accused of raping a seven-year-old child in the bathroom of a Dros restaurant in Silverton, Pretoria.

It was rumoured that the man, since identified by many news outlets as Nicholas Ninow, was going to plead insanity as his defence.

News24 with what transpired inside the courthouse today:

The man…will be referred for mental observation.

The Pretoria Magistrate’s Court granted the application which was brought by the state and the defence on Thursday morning.

Additionally, the court also granted an application by the defence to appoint an additional psychiatrist and clinical psychologist making up a team of four experts that will observe the accused while he is in Weskoppies, which is a government psychiatrist institution [in Pretoria].

Riaan du Plessis, the Legal Aid lawyer appointed to defend Ninow, told the court how the accused was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 2013, and has been using drugs since he was 14.

Funny how there are many people with bipolar disorder around the world who don’t allegedly rape children. The same can be said for drug users:

It was put on record that the accused had previously undergone rehabilitation for substance abuse.

“He also tried to commit suicide because of the severe depression of having bipolar,” said Du Plessis.

The State’s advocate, Sanet Jacobson, agreed to the psychiatric observation, saying that “[his] criminal capacity might be a relevant issue to pursue because a substance was found on him”.

The toxicology report on the substance found on the accused at the time of the alleged rape has not yet been completed.

The case was then postponed until November 28, and the accused will have to wait for a bed to become available in Weskoppies.

Ninow is facing a charge of rape‚ possession of drugs‚ intimidation and assault with the intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

[source:news24]