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Oscar Bail Application in Progress


By Ntokozo Sindane    20-Feb-2013 17:32 UTC+02:00
This is the layout of the Oscar Pistorius home showing the bathroom in which Reeva Steenkamp was shot and killed. – image - www.telegraph.co.uk

This is the layout of the Oscar Pistorius home showing the bathroom in which Reeva Steenkamp was shot and killed. – image – www.telegraph.co.uk

It’s hard to pinpoint the last time that the world was so engrossed in a murder case as much as has been happening with Oscar Pistorius. Various publications, both local and international, have kept the public updated on the events as they unfold in the Pretoria Magistrates Court. On Wednesday morning when the bail hearing resumed, the scene was unwelcoming as people tried to force their way into the undersized courtroom. A reporter is said to have collapsed in the chaos.

The Telegraph offered more details about the session where Oscar Pistorius is currently applying for bail. He will defend this schedule six offence with the help of a defence team that includes Barry Roux and Kenny Oldwage.

It came out in court that Oscar Pistorius tried to access some offshore accounts not long after the murder of Reeva Steenkamp. His brother and a lawyer helped Oscar retrieve account numbers from an electronic storage device in a safe kept in the kitchen. An unlicensed firearm was also discovered on the morning of the incident.

The layout of the Pistorius home, and in particular the bathroom and areas where the shots were discharged, was a vital part of the prosecution’s presentation. The court also heard that a neighbour had submitted a statement in which there are details of screaming before the shots were fired. However, the witness could not confirm that the voices were those of Oscar and Reeva. The witness apparently lives a considerable distance from where the shooting occurred.

Mr Barry Roux has been very animated in his questions and reactions to the prosecution’s case. Speaking about the substances thought to be steroids that were found at the athlete’s home, Roux was adamant that they were over-the-counter herbal remedies. He insisted that they were not steroids or banned substances.

The autopsy results were also discussed before the court adjourned for lunch. The investigators conceded that the victim’s body did not show any other signs of violence or defensive wounds other than the bullet wounds.

Oscar Pistorius seemed to have regained his composure as it appeared that the state’s case may not be as solid as initially thought. At this point, Oscar’s tears were no longer flowing. Mr Barry Roux is confident that when the bail hearing concludes, Oscar Pistorius will be successful in his attempt to be released from police custody. The hearing is still in progress.

 


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