Pistorious At last Jailed For Five Years Over Killing Of Girlfriend

Posted by African Examiner African News, Featured, Latest Headlines Tuesday, October 21st, 2014

South African Paralympic athlete medalist, Oscar Pistorius has been slammed with the five years imprisonment over the killing last year, of his former girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp.

Delivering the judgement Tuesday in a Pretoria court, Justice Thokozile Masipa, gave the convicted Pistorius a three-year suspended sentence on a firearms charge.

Earlier, the prosecution had argued for a minimum 10-year sentence, while the defense counsel pleaded for community service and house arrest.

Justice Masipa who noted, she had been aided by “assessors”, stated that the decision was hers alone, adding the “Sentencing is about achieving the right balance. Sentencing is not a perfect exercise.”

The jurist described the evidence of defence witness and social worker, Annette Vergeer, as “slapdash and disappointing”.

The witness argued that the accused (Pistorius) would be “a lot more vulnerable than the normal man” in jail.

Justice Masipa however, in contrary held she was confident prisons were meant to cater for the requirements of a specially needs inmate. She also indicated she was not comfortable about the convicted vulnerability.

She established Pistorius had made an “enormous contribution to society”, in his charity work and changing the general perception of incapability in disability.

It would be recalled Pistorius has ealier been convicted of culpable homicide but cleared of murder by the same Judge about four weeks ago.

Twenty seven years old Pistorius, is an amputee South African sprinter. He is the first athlete to compete in the Olympic and Paralympic Games. He killed his late girlfriend, Steenkamp on Februray 14, 2013 – Valentine’s Day.