South Africa: State to appeal Pretorius' conviction and sentence

Cape Town, South Africa (PANA) – South Africa’s National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) on Monday confirmed that it will appeal both the judgment and sentencing of Oscar Pistorius.

State prosecutors are now preparing the necessary papers in order to be able to file within the next few days.

NPA spokesperson Nathi Mncube issued a statement saying the appeal on conviction is based on the question of law and “the merits and the demerits of the NPA's argument in this regard will become evident when we file papers for leave to appeal”.

Following a criminal trial which received global media coverage, the double-amputee received a five-year jail-term for the culpable homicide killing of his girlfriend, law graduate and model Reeva Steenkamp.

However, it is expected that he could serve less than a year in jail and the remainder under house arrest.

Earlier, Judge Thokozile Masipa also faced a barrage of criticism for acquitting the Paralympian on the more serious charge of murder, although several legal analysts believe her verdict was correct.

She said there was no reason to doubt his explanation that he mistook Steenkamp for an intruder when he shot four times through a locked toilet door at his luxury Pretoria home.

Round two of this extraordinary legal battle will be heard at the Supreme Court of Appeal in Bloemfontein.
-0- PANA CU/AR 27Oct2014