South African Court Doubles Jail Sentence For Oscar Pistorius

South Africa court on Friday increased Olympic athlete Oscar Pistorius’s jail sentence for killing his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp to 13 years and five months.

Pistorius was in 2015, found guilty of the Valentine’s Day murder of his model girlfriend.

The 30-year-old sprinter was sentenced to six years in jail but the state prosecution had appealed the sentence earlier this month, saying it was too lenient.

The minimum sentence for murder in South Africa is 15 years.

The Supreme Court of Appeal in Bloemfontein has now given Pistorius the minimum 15 years prescribed for Reeva’s murder, as he has already served 1 year and 7 months.

Spokesperson for Ms Steenkamp’s parents Tania Koen told Associated Press that they were emotional as they watched the judgment on TV.

“They feel there has been justice for Reeva. She can now rest in peace,” Ms Koen said.

“But at the same time, people think this is the end of the road for them… the fact is they still live with Reeva’s loss every day.”

Oscar Pistorius claimed he shot dead Ms Steenkamp on Valentine’s Day in 2013 after mistaking her for a burglar.
The Supreme Court of Appeal in Bloemfontein has now given Pistorius the minimum 15 years prescribed for Reeva’s murder in South Africa, less time already served.

The South African double-amputee sprinter, known as the “Blade Runner,” maintains he believed Steenkamp was an intruder when he shot her through the bathroom door.

He was originally found guilty of culpable homicide, but it was changed to murder on appeal.

Pistorius, whose lower legs were amputated because of a congenital defect, soared to international fame after becoming the first amputee to compete in the 2012 Olympic Games in London.