
Oscar Pistorius should serve at least 10 years in prison for killing his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, on Valentine ’s Day last year, the state prosecutor said at the close of the athlete’s sentencing hearing on Friday.
Pistorius, whose lower legs were amputated as a baby was convicted of culpable homicide last month for the shooting of Reeva Steenkamp, a 29-year-old law graduate and model, at his luxury home. Pistorius said he mistook Steenkamp for an intruder.
“The minimum term that society will be happy with will be 10 years imprisonment,” chief state prosecutor Gerrie Nel said at the close of a five-day sentencing hearing in Pretoria.
“This is a serious matter. The negligence borders on intent. Ten years is the minimum,” Nel told the court.
Judge Thokozile Masipa is to sentence the 27-year-old Pistorius on Tuesday, ending a six-month trial that has been televised from start to finish, captivating millions around the world.
The defense and prosecution teams spent much of the hearing arguing over whether Pistorius should go to jail or be punished with a suspended sentence, house arrest or community service. Legal experts are split on the likely outcome.
A non-custodial sentence would be likely to spark public anger, fuelling a perception among black South Africans that, 20 years after the end of white-minority apartheid rule, wealthy whites can still secure preferential justice. Masipa is only the second black female judge in South Africa.
Steenkamp’s parents said after last month’s verdict that “justice was not served” when Pistorius avoided the more serious murder charge, which would have meant a compulsory jail term.”We shouldn’t fail the parents. We shouldn’t fail society. Society may lose its trust in the court,” Nel said.
Defense attorney Barry Roux earlier said the double-amputee sprinter should be given community service because he had shown remorse and been punished enough since he shot dead Steenkamp through a toilet door in his Pretoria apartment.
“He was an icon for what he has achieved. He’s lost everything. He lost all his sponsors. He lost all his money. He has nothing. There is nothing left of this man,” Roux said.
“He wants to make good as far as possible. Serious regard should be given to a community-based sentence so something good can come out of this.”
Nel said that house arrest or community service would be “shockingly disproportionate” with the crime.