South African Olympic hero Oscar Pistorius on
Tuesday tearfully denied the premeditated murder of his model girlfriend Reeva
Steenkamp, telling a court he shot at her through a locked bathroom door
believing she was an intruder.
Tuesday tearfully denied the premeditated murder of his model girlfriend Reeva
Steenkamp, telling a court he shot at her through a locked bathroom door
believing she was an intruder.
“I am absolutely mortified by the events and the
devastating loss of my beloved Reeva,” Pistorius said in an affidavit at a
court hearing in the capital Pretoria, his first public comments on the
Valentine’s Day killing.
devastating loss of my beloved Reeva,” Pistorius said in an affidavit at a
court hearing in the capital Pretoria, his first public comments on the
Valentine’s Day killing.
The 26-year-old double amputee track star broke
down in tears repeatedly as his own words filled the court: “We were deeply in
love and couldn’t be more happy.”
down in tears repeatedly as his own words filled the court: “We were deeply in
love and couldn’t be more happy.”
“I had no intention to kill my girlfriend,” he
said in the statement, read out by his lawyer as Pistorius sat in the dock,
struggling to hold his composure.
said in the statement, read out by his lawyer as Pistorius sat in the dock,
struggling to hold his composure.
At one point the court was forced to break so
the track star could get himself together.
the track star could get himself together.
“He’s definitely been broken,” his public
relations manager Stuart Higgins said.
relations manager Stuart Higgins said.
As the court hearing was under way, Steenkamp
was being laid to rest at an emotional private ceremony at a crematorium in her
hometown of Port Elizabeth.
was being laid to rest at an emotional private ceremony at a crematorium in her
hometown of Port Elizabeth.
The “Blade Runner” became an inspiration to
millions when he became the first double amputee to compete against able-bodied
athletes in the Olympics.
millions when he became the first double amputee to compete against able-bodied
athletes in the Olympics.
He now faces a charge of premeditated murder,
which will likely result in remand without bail and, if convicted, a life
sentence behind bars.
which will likely result in remand without bail and, if convicted, a life
sentence behind bars.
Pistorius said the couple, who had been dating
since late last year, had spent the evening at his upscale Pretoria home
watching television and with the 29-year-old Steenkamp doing yoga.
since late last year, had spent the evening at his upscale Pretoria home
watching television and with the 29-year-old Steenkamp doing yoga.
He awoke in the dead of night to bring in a fan
from the balcony when he heard a noise.
from the balcony when he heard a noise.
“Filled with horror and fear” that someone was
in the bathroom, he said he felt “very vulnerable” because he did not have his
prosthetic legs on.
in the bathroom, he said he felt “very vulnerable” because he did not have his
prosthetic legs on.
“I fired shots at the toilet door and shouted to
Reeva to phone the police.
Reeva to phone the police.
“Reeva was not responding. When I reached the
bed, I realised that Reeva was not in bed.
bed, I realised that Reeva was not in bed.
“That is when it dawned on me that it could have
been Reeva who was in the toilet.”
been Reeva who was in the toilet.”
After smashing the door with a cricket bat,
Pistorius said “Reeva was slumped over but alive”
Pistorius said “Reeva was slumped over but alive”
“I tried to render the assistance to Reeva that
I could, but she died in my arms.”
I could, but she died in my arms.”
He said he kept a firearm, a 9 mm Parabellum,
under his bed at night because he had been a “victim of violence and burglaries
before.”
under his bed at night because he had been a “victim of violence and burglaries
before.”
He was not only acutely aware of intruders
intending to commit violent crime but that “I have received death threats
before.”
intending to commit violent crime but that “I have received death threats
before.”
Prosecutors argued that far from being an
accident, Steenkamp’s death was a premeditated act of murder.
accident, Steenkamp’s death was a premeditated act of murder.
Prosecutor Gerrie Nel told the court Pistorius
had armed himself, put on his prosthetic legs, walked seven metres and fired
four shots into the bathroom door, hitting a terrified Steenkamp three times
and fatally wounding her.
had armed himself, put on his prosthetic legs, walked seven metres and fired
four shots into the bathroom door, hitting a terrified Steenkamp three times
and fatally wounding her.
“She could go nowhere,” Nel said. “She locked
the door for a purpose. We will get to that purpose.”
the door for a purpose. We will get to that purpose.”
There was no decision on bail Tuesday, with
court proceedings adjourned until Wednesday.
court proceedings adjourned until Wednesday.
Prosecution spokesman Medupe S’Maiku said the
hearings could take all week.
hearings could take all week.
Magistrate Desmond Nair said he could not rule
out that there was some planning involved in the killing, which may be
considered as a premeditated murder for the purposes of bail.
out that there was some planning involved in the killing, which may be
considered as a premeditated murder for the purposes of bail.
But Pistorius’s legal team rejected the claims
as he sought to argue he was not a flight risk.
as he sought to argue he was not a flight risk.
Pistorius revealed he earned 5.6 million rand
($640,000) a year and owned the $570,000 house in the gated estate where the
killing took place and two other homes.
($640,000) a year and owned the $570,000 house in the gated estate where the
killing took place and two other homes.
Lawyers submitted affidavits from friends of
both Pistorius and Steenkamp, which spoke of the couple’s close relationship.
both Pistorius and Steenkamp, which spoke of the couple’s close relationship.
Pistorius, who off the track has a rocky private
life of rash behaviour, beautiful women, guns and fast cars, has built up a
powerful team of lawyers, medical specialists and public relations experts for
his defence.
life of rash behaviour, beautiful women, guns and fast cars, has built up a
powerful team of lawyers, medical specialists and public relations experts for
his defence.
In 2009 Pistorius — who once admitted to a
newspaper that he slept with a pistol, machine gun, cricket bat and baseball
bat for fear of burglars — spent a night in jail after allegedly assaulting a
19-year-old woman at a party.
newspaper that he slept with a pistol, machine gun, cricket bat and baseball
bat for fear of burglars — spent a night in jail after allegedly assaulting a
19-year-old woman at a party.
Meanwhile in Port Elizabeth, tearful friends and
family said goodbye to Steenkamp, whose cloth-draped coffin with white flowers
laid on top was carried into a chapel in the southeastern coastal city where
she grew up.
family said goodbye to Steenkamp, whose cloth-draped coffin with white flowers
laid on top was carried into a chapel in the southeastern coastal city where
she grew up.
“There’s a space missing inside all of the
people that she knew that can’t be filled again,” her brother Adam, who gave
the eulogy, said after the ceremony. “We’ll miss her.”
people that she knew that can’t be filled again,” her brother Adam, who gave
the eulogy, said after the ceremony. “We’ll miss her.”
A funeral programme simply entitled “Reeva” bore
the dates of her birth and death, and a black-and-white portrait of Steenkamp
with the words “God’s Gift, A Child” written on the back.
the dates of her birth and death, and a black-and-white portrait of Steenkamp
with the words “God’s Gift, A Child” written on the back.
Pistorius, a Paralympian gold-medallist, became
the first double amputee to run against able-bodied athletes at last year’s
Olympics in London on the carbon-fibre running blades that inspired his
nickname.
the first double amputee to run against able-bodied athletes at last year’s
Olympics in London on the carbon-fibre running blades that inspired his
nickname.
But his career has been put on hold since the
shooting, forcing him to cancel races in Australia, Brazil, Britain and the
United States between March and May.
shooting, forcing him to cancel races in Australia, Brazil, Britain and the
United States between March and May.
The case has shocked South Africa, where
Pistorius is still considered by many to be a shining example of how
individuals can triumph over adversity.
Pistorius is still considered by many to be a shining example of how
individuals can triumph over adversity.
South Africa’s sports minister on Tuesday
expressed shock and disbelief that the star has been charged with the murder of
his girlfriend as the country battles epidemic levels of violence against
women.
expressed shock and disbelief that the star has been charged with the murder of
his girlfriend as the country battles epidemic levels of violence against
women.
“None of our sporting heroes and heroines should
be associated with such acts of violence against women and children,” said
Fikile Mbalula. AFP
be associated with such acts of violence against women and children,” said
Fikile Mbalula. AFP
