Oscar, Steenkamps, Pistoriuses arrive

Pistorius was once again dropped off in the street right in front of the entrance after 9.10am.

The Pistorius family members, including his uncle Arnold, arrived as Pistorius’s car pulled up. Pistorius embraced one of the men and they walked inside.

His father Henke arrived after the family was inside. Thursday was the first time he had attended the trial since his son’s bail application last year.

Steenkamp’s parents Barry and June arrived at court after 9.25am.

Pistorius’s younger sister Aimee arrived alone shortly before 9am and walked quickly through the double line of media at the court entrance.

Pistorius’s defence team arrived one-by-one. First attorney Brian Webber and the junior members in the team arrived. A short while later Barry Roux, SC, arrived followed a few minutes later by Kenny Oldwadge, SC.

Pistorius is charged with murdering his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine’s Day last year.

He shot her through the locked door of his toilet at his Pretoria home.

Pistorius has denied guilt, saying he thought she was an intruder about to open the door and attack him. The State contends he shot her during an argument and that it was premeditated.

Pistorius is also charged with three contraventions of the Firearms Control Act, one of illegal possession of ammunition and two of discharging a firearm in public. He has pleaded not guilty to these charges as well.

Outside court, green, yellow and white balloons hung from one of the bus stops by a woman at court in support of Pistorius.

People, armed with cellphones and tablets, gathered close to the entrance in anticipation of the Paralympic athlete’s arrival.

Roux was due to resume submitting his closing arguments on Friday morning.

On Thursday, prosecutor Gerrie Nel completed his closing arguments and described Pistorius as a deceitful and dishonest person who would rather hide behind untruths than admit he had murdered his girlfriend in cold blood.

Nel said Pistorius was an appalling witness who had tailored his evidence to avoid prosecution.

He dismissed several points of Pistorius’s testimony as improbable and untruthful.

Roux spent the last half-hour of Thursday’s proceedings countering Nel’s arguments. He accused the State of being selective in the evidence it chose to accept and consider for its case and of ignoring crucial matters raised in the trial.

Nel said Pistorius had tailored his evidence because he was concerned at the implications of his answers.

Roux was expected to start at 9.30am.

– Sapa