The judge who called Oscar Pistorius a “fallen hero” and sentenced him to only six years jail for murdering his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp has been slammed as an “embarrassment” to South Africa’s justice system.
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Prosecutors appealed to South Africa’s Supreme Court of Appeal before Pistorius’ conviction was upgraded to murder.
But she added: “I am of the view that a long term of imprisonment would not serve justice in this case”.
After delivering the verdict, the judge ordered a recess to give lawyers on both teams time to decide if they want to appeal.
Dressed in a dark suit, Pistorius listened to the judge mostly with his head down. However, the judge stated that he did not feel Pistorius would reoffend, and the former “Blade Runner” will actually be up for parole in three years.
Steenkamp’s parents, Barry and June, were in the courtroom, which was packed with relatives of both Pistorius and Steenkamp and other observers.
Oscar Pistorius was led to his cell immediately after sentencing.
Pistorius, famously known as the Blade Runner, was released on parole in October 2015 and has been placed under house arrest since then at his uncle’s house after serving nearly a year in prison of his five-year sentence. Pistorius insisted in trial that he mistook her as an intruder and his life was in danger when he fired at the door of the bathroom. After being convicted, then appealing, and then being convicted on a more serious charge, he was finally sentenced on Wednesday.
Outside the courthouse on Wednesday, Dukes Masanabo, a South African sports official, said he was hoping Pistorius would be sentenced to 10 to 12 years, not six. Prosecutors, who had asked that he be sentenced to 15 years in prison, can appeal for a heavier sentence but have yet to comment on whether they will do so.
In 2014, Pistorius was acquitted of murder by Masipa following a dramatic seven-month trial.
Judge Masipa considered the defence’s argument that Pistorius was a “broken man”, the time he has already spent in prison and his deep remorse. An earlier five-year jail term for manslaughter was overturned on appeal in December 2015.
“The law didn’t take its course”, Masanabo said.
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“It’s not enough”, she said.
