The famous sprinter was convicted to six years in prison, significantly less than a 15-year prescribed minimum sentence for murder, the court said on Wednesday.
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The disgraced Paralympian could have faced a life sentence after the Supreme Court of Appeal overturned his manslaughter conviction and found him guilty of murder.
He argued that he fired four shots into the door of a toilet cubicle at his luxury Pretoria home in the mistaken belief that an intruder was hiding behind it.
The original trial judge, Thokozile Masipa, who also delivered the sentenced on Wednesday (AEST), said “substantial and compelling” mitigating circumstances allowed her to override the 15-year minimum.
The 29-year-old Pistorius was led away to prison after a judge announced his sentence, which some observers criticized as lenient.
This afternoon, the African National Congress Women’s League (ANCWL) said it was shocked and disappointed with the sentence.
The verdict passed by Judge Thokozile Masipa came after an initial five-year conviction for manslaughter was changed to murder last December on appeal. He cannot be at peace, she added. It wasn’t what Steenkamp’s family or the thousands of people who religiously followed the development of case expected.
Pistorius was freed from prison in October 2015 after 10 months behind bars. “Public opinion may be loud and persistent but it can play no role in the decision of this court”, she added.
The time Pistorious served on the culpable homicide charge might not count toward the new sentence, according to the BBC.
“The life of the accused shall also never be the same”.
Attorney Andrew Fawcett told the media outside court: “Just from the defence team, we respect the decision by Judge Masipa and we will not be not be lodging any applications for leave to appeal going forward”.
In reading out the sentence, Judge Masipa said Pistorius was a “fallen hero”.
“The object of sentencing is not to satisfy the public and the court can not allow itself to be diverted”.
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Pistorius will be eligible to apply for parole after three years, legal experts told the AP. “No further comment. They will keep a dignified silence”, said Dup de Bruyn. Last month, Pistorius’ lawyers had him remove his artificial legs in the courtroom to show how he would be especially vulnerable in prison.
