Oscar Pistorius prosecutors to appeal ‘shockingly lenient’ murder sentence

Prosecutors are to push for a longer sentence for Oscar Pistorius after he was jailed for six years for murder. Lawyers have described the athlete’s sentence for murdering his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp in 2013 as “shockingly too lenient”. The National Prosecuting Authority said the sentence was “an injustice and has the potential to bring the administration of justice into disrepute”, adding that it would file papers to apply for leave to appeal on Thursday. Meanwhile, Ms Steenkamp’s family said in a statement that they had “no input in the decision of the state to appeal” and were focusing their energies on the launch of a foundation in her name next month.

The sentence of six years imprisonment, in all the circumstances, is disproportionate to the crime of murder committed (and) shockingly too lenient.

National Prosecuting Authority

Pistorius shot Ms Steenkamp in the early hours of 14 February 2013, saying he mistook her for a burglar when he fired four times through the door of his bedroom toilet. The 29-year-old is being held in Kgosi Mampuru II prison in Pretoria. He was released from the same jail last October after serving one year of a five-year term for culpable homicide - the equivalent of manslaughter. But an appeals court upgraded his conviction to murder in December. However, the latest move comes after women’s rights and domestic abuse campaigners criticised the six-year sentence handed down to the Paralympic champion runner earlier this month.

(Pistorius is) a fallen hero, who has lost his career, and been ruined financially. He cannot be at peace

Judge Thokozile Masipa, who sentenced Pistorius earlier this month

pistorius