South African Paralympian gold medalist Oscar Pistorius said today that he feels sadness and pain on the anniversary of the incident which led to his girlfriend's death. Pistorius was indicted for murder and possession of ammunition on Valentine's Day last year after he shot Reeva Steenkamp, which led to her eventual death.
In a statement published on his website today, he said, "No words can adequately capture my feelings about the devastating accident that has caused such heartache for everyone who truly loved, and continues to love, Reeva. The pain and sadness, especially for Reeva's parents, family and friends consumes me with sorrow."
Pistorius made headlines less than two years ago when he joined the London Olympic Games as an amputee runner for his home country South Africa. "The Blade Runner" track star, who is known for his J-shaped prosthetic running blades, claimed self-defense when he said he shot Steenkamp at his Pretoria home. Steenkamp was shot through a locked bathroom door four times, the Independent said.
Pistorius was arrested and eventually charged with premeditated murder, which carried a sentence of a minimum of 25 years in jail. The Independent said his uncle, Arnold Pistorius, claimed that the former couple actually had plans together and his nephew was at his happiest with Steenkamp.
The UK daily said pundits in the UK were not happy about Pistorius' release on bail and for the court to allow him to leave the country. Some of them complained about how a legal system could be so lax on celebrities like Pistorius.
University of Cape Town a senior lecturer in law Dr Kelly Phelps defended South Africa's legal system in light with regard to the case against Pistorious. He said, "During Apartheid, detention without trial was ruthlessly exploited by the oppressive state to suppress political dissent. The law was a weapon in the Apartheid government's arsenal, used to maintain minority domination and entrench its racist ideology. The value of the presumption of innocence and individual liberty therefore cannot be overstated in South Africa."
