Olympic superstar, Oscar Pistorius who was charged with the murder of his former girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp and subsequently found guilty of criminal negligence culpable homicide has been sentenced to five years imprisonment by a court in Pretoria.
The prosecutors wanted a minimum of ten years imprisonment while the defense argued for community service and house arrest citing that the athlete would be more vulnerable than a normal man in jail. Pistorius was finally sentenced to five years. Pistorius’ lawyer said, Barry Roux is expecting his client to spend 10 months in jail and complete the rest of his sentence under house arrest.
Dup De Bruyn, a lawyer for the Steenkamp family, told Reuters that
“justice was served” and the Judge Masipia who read the sentence said
“Sentencing is about achieving the right balance. Sentencing is not a perfect exercise.” Pistorius was also handed a three year firearms license suspension.
Last month, Judge Masipa cleared Pistorius of murder, but convicted him of culpable homicide, saying he had been negligent. The trial lasted over six months and was broadcast and widely followed around the world.
There was no legal limit on the length of a jail term, but experts say the typical maximum sentence for culpable homicide is around 15 years. Despite the sentencing being announced, this case may not be over.
