Oscar Pistorius's bail application to be completed soon

Carlynne Kruger, and SAPA

19 February 2013

National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson, Medupi Simasiku, said today, that the bail hearing of Paralympic athlete Oscar Pistorius would be completed soon. He was speaking to media outside the Pretoria Magistrate court earlier today.

The comment by the NPA comes as Pistorius faces a charge of premeditated murder after his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp was found shot and killed at his upmarket Pretoria East home on Thursday last week. Pistorius appeared in court today, and appeared to be emotionally tired. As the charges against him were read out by Magistrate Desmond Nair, he broke down in tears. Nair ruled that Pistorius be charged with premeditated murder, which is a schedule 6 offence. This means that the defence has a hard task ahead as they would have to prove that Pistorius should be granted bail.

It was also argued in court in Pistorius's defence that he had shot at the locked bathroom door, in order to help and not to harm Steenkamp. But this was quickly dismissed by State prosecutor Gerrie Nel.

In reading out Pistorius's affidavit, the sportsman wept each time he heard Steenkamp's name. Also to have emerged while the affidavit was being read out, it was stated that the athlete had felt "vulnerable" when he heard noises coming from his bathroom, and that the feeling was heightened as he did not have his prosthetic legs on.

The case against Pistorius has been postponed to Wednesday. Simasiku said that they could not comment any further on the case, and would have to respond in court as the State.
The Pistorius murder case has made headlines across the world.