PRETORIA – Paralympian athlete Oscar Pistorius (29) was sentenced to six years’ imprisonment in the North Gauteng High Court minutes ago.
Judge Thokozile Masipa decided not to impose the minimum prescribed sentence for murder, which amounts to 15 years.
She considered, among others, the following circumstances before concluding that she would deviate from a 15 years sentence:
– Pistorius lost the use of his legs at the age of 11 months.
– He lost his mother at the age of 15, which traumatised him greatly.
– He was a first offender.
– Masipa said that he was not inherently a violent person.
– According to Masipa, he portrayed remorse after killing Steenkamp.
– The consequences of Steenkamp’s death hit Pistorius hard. He had suffered financially and was traumatised by the events. His public image had been tarnished and a “trial by the media and/or public” should not affect his judicial trial.
Pistorius was found guilty of murder, based on the dolus eventualis doctrine. This means that he shot at the bathroom door, knowing full well that someone was behind it.
* Compiled with assistance by Ilahn Ungerer.
Also read:
What a Lowvelder reported when the trial started.
