Tuesday 21 October 2014

Pritorius Jailed for 5years



South African athlete Oscar Pistorius has been given five years in jail for killing his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.
Judge Thokozile Masipa also gave Pistorius a three-year suspended sentence for a firearms charge.
The parents of Reeva Steenkamp speaking after the sentence was annouce stated they were happy with the sentence and relieved the case was over. The defence said it expected Pistorius to serve about 10 months in prison.
Pistorius was convicted of culpable homicide but cleared of murder.
Prosecutors had called for a minimum 10-year term, and the defence had argued for community service and house arrest.
'Feeling of unease'
Defence lawyer Barry Roux said his client was expected to serve 10 months in prison, with the rest under house arrest.
Also reacting to the sentence, Dup De Bruyn, a lawyer for the Steenkamp family, told Reuters that "justice was served".
The BBC's Nomsa Maseko, outside court, says opinion there was divided on the sentence, with some saying it was too light, others that it was fair.
She says Pistorius will be evaluated over the next few hours in prison to decide where he will be staying based on his disability.
Judge Masipa had begun reading the sentence by saying that, although she had been aided by assessors, the decision was hers and hers alone.
She said: "Sentencing is about achieving the right balance. Sentencing is not a perfect exercise."
you can have your say here on my blog what you feel about the sentence handed to Pistorius. live coverage of the scene when Pistorius enters the prison van to head to the Pretoria central prison showing onlookers cheering in affirmation of the sentence.

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