Finally, justice has been served! Paralympic athlete Oscar Pistorius was sentenced on Tuesday to five years imprisonment for killing girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp by a South African judge.
Finally, justice has been served!
Paralympic athlete Oscar Pistorius was sentenced on Tuesday to five years imprisonment for killing girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp by a South African judge.
The case which has lasted more than a year, saw Oscar shoot his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine’s Day last year, through a toilet door at the former’s home.
The Paralympian testified that the shooting was by accident as he mistook Reeva for an intruder. But the South African judge withheld Oscar’s testify and cited ‘gross negligence’ while shooting Reeva.
South African judge Thokozile Masipa also ruled the Olympian to three years in prison for criminally firing a gun in a restaurant in a separate incident weeks before Steenkamp’s 2013 shooting death though the judge ordered that sentence to be completely suspended. Judge Masipa has convicted Oscar of culpable homicide, or negligent killing, but acquitted him of murder.
Speaking to the media after the verdict was announced, Pistorius’s uncle, Arnold was quoted: “The court has now handed down judgement and sentence, and we accept the judgement,” said Arnold Pistorius in a statement outside court. “Oscar will embrace this opportunity to pay back to society. This has been an incredibly hard and painful process for everyone involved, the Ms Steenkamp family, our family and Oscar.” He further adds, “We are all emotionally drained. The case that was set down for three weeks originally has been dragged out for seven months.”
As learnt from some legal experts, Pistorius’ sentence provides that his prison term will be of maximum of five years and moreover, the runner could be qualified for house arrest after serving eight months in jail.
But there’s still lot left in the case as both prosecution and defence have the right to appeal. But the prosecution service has said to the media that it had not yet decided and the defence has not yet commented as well.
Here is some reaction Twitter on the Oscar Pistorius verdict:
Wow how has Oscar pistorius got away with only 5 years. Someone has definitely been paid cash. Complete joke #brownenvelopejob
— David Cotterill (@cotterill_david) October 21, 2014
I hope #OscarPistorius is getting buggered right now #justice #OscarTrial
— Dave Hall (@dkhall44) October 21, 2014
look it’s FINE that Oscar Pistorius will be eligible for house arrest in only 10 months it’s not like he murdered her *in* his hou– oh wait
— Jessica Goldstein (@jessicagolds) October 21, 2014
Oscar Pistorius sentenced to 5 years in prison for murdering his girlfriend. Just 5.
— Alexandra Jacobs (@thelexijacobs) October 21, 2014
