South African Paralympic sprinter Oscar Pistorius appears at the Magistrate Court in Pretoria on August 19, 2013. Photo: Stephane De Sakutin / AFP / Getty Images
Murder-accused Paralympian Oscar Pistorius must be punished with the toughest sentence, South Africa’s Minister for Women, Children and People with Disabilities Lulu Xingwana said.
“We are saying to the courts: we want to see the toughest sentences and we also want to make sure that the accused does not run away, that they finally face justice,” Xingwana said Monday as Pistorius re-appeared at the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court to hear murder charges against him.
Pistorius’ brief court reappearance coincided with the 30th birthday of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp whom he allegedly shot dead at his Pretoria home on the Valentine’s Day of February 14 this year, reports Xinhua.
Xingwana was at the court, saying she was there to represent the Steenkamp family.
Pistorius was formally served with an indictment for Steenkamp’s death.
Prosecutor Gerrie Nel also announced Pistorius’ trial date which is set for March 3 next year.
The National Prosecuting Authority has named 107 witnesses to assist with the trial.
Nel also said Pistorius’s premeditated murder case has been transferred to the High Court in Pretoria.
Pistorius said he shot Steenkamp mistaking her for a burglar, but police do not support his accounts and argue a case of premeditated murder. – Indo-Asian News Service
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