Oscar Pistorius Sentenced to 6 Years
Murder convicted former paralympic champion, Oscar Pistorius, has been sentenced to six years imprisonment for the murder of his former girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp.
Today’s sentencing brings an end to a saga that has been going on for more than three years, after Reeva was killed on Valentine’s Day in 2013.
After Oscar stood trial, he was eventually found guilty of culpable homicide in 2014, even though the state prosecutors pushed for a murder conviction in the case of dolus eventualis.
After he was found guilty of culpable homicide, Pistorius was sentenced to 5 years in jail.
The NPA then announced that they would appeal the culpable homicide conviction in favour of a murder conviction, Shortly after that, it was announced that Pistorius would then be released on house arrest after spending a total of 10 months in prison.
All of that changed once again in December of 2015 when his conviction was overturned in favour of a murder conviction.
Pistorius once again appealed the murder conviction, but it was dismissed. His sentencing was then set for June.
Which brings us to today, where Judge Masipa sentenced Oscar to six years imprisonment.
In her sentencing, she said:
“…[sic] The State says the accused showed no remorse. I disagree. At the commencement of the original trial, the accused apologised to the parents of the deceased…
According to the State, the court should still deliver a long sentence, as the crime bordered on dolus directus. I disagree… A sentencing policy that catered predominantly to public opinion was inherently flawed…Public opinion may have some relevance, but cannot replace the court’s duty…” she said.
She then asked Mr. Pistorius to rise and read out his sentence to a packed court:
“…In the result, the sentence I impose on the accused in terms of murder dolus eventualis, is six years imprisonment...I’d like to thank counsel for their assistance, the officers of the court, and the staff. In the meantime, I will adjourn and I’ll be in chambers. Counsel I’m willing to hear an application for leave to appeal today. Court is adjourned.”
