Journos pursue Oscar’s brother

Oscar Pistorius and Reeva Steenkamp. File photo: Reuters

Oscar Pistorius and Reeva Steenkamp. File photo: Reuters

Published Feb 15, 2013

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 Pretoria - Confusion reigned momentarily in Pretoria’s Francis Baard Street on Friday as several journalists ran after Oscar Pistorius’s brother Carl as he left the magistrate's court.

With video cameras and microphones held out, local and international journalists jostled to get Carl's attention as he walked towards Bosman Street.

Carl ignored their questions. He took long strides as pedestrians and motorists took out their phones to record events.

Due to Carl’s resemblance to his world-famous brother Oscar, an elderly woman on the street wrongly identified him as the blade runner. The woman asked whether Oscar had been released by the court.

“So they have let him (Oscar) go? That is unbelievable,” the astounded woman said.

No-one stopped to correct the woman.

In court, the State said it would argue for “premeditated murder” charges against Pistorius following the shooting of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp in his home on Valentine's Day.

“Is the State's argument pre-meditated murder?” magistrate Desmond Nair asked.

“Yes,” prosecutor advocate Gerrie Nel replied.

The matter was postponed to Tuesday to allow the defence time for further preparation and to properly categorise the charge against him in terms of the Criminal Procedure Act (CPA).

The celebrity paralympian walked into the packed courtroom wearing a dark suit. Once in the dock he began crying when Nair greeted him. Nair asked him to be calm and he sat down.

He is expected to bring a bail application next week.

There is also expected to be clarity on whether the crime he is charged with falls under Sections five or six of the CPA. In terms of Section five, dealing with “serious” offences, the accused may only be granted bail if he produces evidence to satisfy the court that the interests of justice permit the release.

Section six deals with “extremely serious” crime and requires exceptional circumstances for bail to be granted.

As Pistorius walked out of the dock his father Henke reached out to him.

Pistorius just walked on, teary-eyed. He will be held at the Brooklyn police station until Tuesday. - Sapa

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