Pistorius bail hearing enters 4th day
2013-02-22 07:26
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Johannesburg - The bail application of murder-accused paralympian Oscar Pistorius will enter into its fourth day in the Pretoria Magistrate's Court on Friday.
Pistorius was arrested on Thursday morning last week after his model girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp was shot dead at his home in Silver Woods country estate, in Pretoria.
He was charged with murder on Friday last week.
On Thursday legal skirmishes erupted between his defence and the State about whether he murdered Steenkamp.
Pistorius has denied deliberately shooting her and has said he thought there was a burglar when he fired shots at the bathroom door, killing her.
Thursday started with the news that the investigating officer, Hilton Botha, himself faces seven charges of attempted murder.
Later, Botha was withdrawn as the lead investigator in the case.
‘Poor’ police work laid into
National police commissioner Riah Phiyega said on Thursday the Pistorius investigation would now be handled by a team led by the country's top detective, Divisional Commissioner of Detective services Lieutenant General Vineshkumar Moonoo.
In court, Nel listened as Pistorius's counsel Barry Roux laid into Botha's "poor" police work, and said the State was falling "far short" of proving murder.
Roux described the couple's relationship as "loving" and said that in carrying Steenkamp down the stairs and calling for help after the shooting, Pistorius had indicated that he cared.
Magistrate Desmond Nair wanted to know why Pistorius' affidavit made no mention of Steenkamp's responses when he called out to her before firing shots at what he thought was an intruder in the bathroom.
Roux said it was "unlikely" she would have responded, because she was scared.
He submitted that it was unlikely that Pistorius, who was "an icon", would flee.
Nel said Pistorius seemed to be under the impression he might not be tried for the shooting.
Pistorius' "total lack of willingness to take responsibility for his deeds increases his flight risk", said Nel.
Visit News24's Oscar Pistorius Special Report.
- SAPA
