World-famous athlete Oscar Pistorius was granted bail at the Pretoria Magistrates Court on Friday. – image – www.guardian.co.uk
The Oscar Pistorius murder case has all the action and drama that one can expect from a movie. The plot includes a world-famous, inspirational athlete with violent tendencies who is attracted to guns and shoots his girlfriend dead on Valentine’s Day. Oscar Pistorius explained in a statement read by his lawyer that he thought he was under attack by burglars when he fired his gun on that fateful morning.
Investigating officer Hilton Botha was the subject of yet another twist in the case of the Reeva Steenkamp murder. It was revealed that he still has to account for his role in the attempted murder of seven mini-bus passengers a few years ago. He is due to appear in court in May. As a result, The Huffington Post reported, he has been excused from the investigation and replaced by Lieutenant General Vinesh Moonoo and other detectives.
The bail application saw defence attorney Barry Roux and prosecutor Gerrie Nel in heated action as each tried to lay the facts as each side sees them. Barry Roux responded to the state’s case by discrediting witness statements and arguing that the case is based largely on circumstantial evidence that does not definitely prove that Oscar set out to murder his girlfriend. Gerrie Nel, on the other hand, was not impressed that it appears that Oscar does not fully appreciate the seriousness of the situation and the charges against him.
Before granting the accused bail, Magistrate Desmond Nair shared the differences between a schedule five and a schedule six charge. He also addressed the media and his decisions regarding the recording of court proceedings. Nair said that Oscar was detained at the Brooklyn Police Station to allow him easy access to his legal representatives. This was not the norm and it was a decision that the magistrate took after reviewing the merits of the case.
A while after 4pm on Friday afternoon, Magistrate Desmond Nair announced that he had come to the conclusion that Oscar should be granted bail. Mixed reactions reverberated across the globe. News24 gave details about the Pistorius family crying and praying together after bail was granted at R1 million. Social networks were bursting at the seams as the public showed its dissatisfaction with the magistrate’s decision. Many people feel that Oscar is receiving unwarranted, preferential treatment because of his celebrity status. Women’s rights group are especially disappointed that this development in the case sends the message that the courts are lenient to abusers. Oscar Pistorius, who has been full of tears throughout the bail hearing, will return to court for the start of his trial on June 4.
