Oscar phone 'clean'

The state has failed to find any of the incriminating evidence that police suspected was encrypted on the cellphone of murder accused Oscar Pistorius.

Instead, defence lawyers yesterday produced reams of pages of cute love messages and terms of endearment exchanged by Pistorius and his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, whom he shot and killed on Valentine's Day last year.

Their phones contained loving messages, some sent scant hours before she was killed.

A source close to the prosecution team told The Times: "So far there was nothing there ... normal messages of love. Nothing necessarily showing otherwise. But the trial is not done.

"He [Pistorius] still has to be questioned on his phone calls, his SMSes and his Whatsapp messages, not only between [him and] Reeva but [also] with other people.

''That information might still be brought to light when [he] takes the stand."

The Paralympian maintains that he mistook Steenkamp for an intruder. The state argues that the killing was premeditated and followed a heated argument.

For months there has been speculation about the "damning evidence" said to stored in one of Pistorius's two iPhones.

Last month three senior police officers - including Lieutenant-General Vineshkumar Moonoo, who is overseeing the investigation - travelled to Apple's headquarters in the US to have encrypted data stored in one of the iPhones deciphered. The cellphone was not given to the police until 12 days after the shooting.

Pistorius said he had forgotten the password that would unlock the encrypted data .

The police, with the assistance of a Durban cyber investigations company, used special computer software to break through several levels of encryption on the phone. They were, however, unable to decipher all the information or recover all the deleted data, which is why the phone was taken to Apple in the US.

The state has closed its case.

The Blade Runner's lawyer, Barry Roux, using the testimony of police cellphone analyst Captain Francois Moller, argued that Pistorius and Steenkamp had been in a loving relationship.

On Monday the state used four of more than 1700 SMSes to show that the relationship was stormy.

"After every argument there were further loving messages. They were followed by terms of endearment. Arguments were sometimes ended by phone calls. Correct?" Roux asked Moller.

Moller conceded that most of the messages were loving.

"More than 90%," retorted Roux.

"You were only looking at four. Look at these ... the arguments are not long. They end with 'kisses', 'I love you', 'I miss you.

"They show disagreements and unhappiness solved quickly ...

"Messages are filled with 'baba', 'booboo', 'angel' ... they show love. Here is CCTV footage showing them kissing just 10 days before the incident ... a couple in love."

Closing the state's case, prosecutor Gerrie Nel said Pistorius had not reported any crimes before the shooting, indicating that he had not been a victim of crime, contrary to his claims.

Pistorius stated in his bail-application affidavit that he had been a victim of crime. Roux insisted yesterday that the Blade Runner had been a victim of "many crimes".

Warrant Officer Adriaan Maritz testified that, unless Pistorius's name was spelt incorrectly, or a mistake had been made in entering his identity number into the police criminal administration system, there was no record of him reporting a crime.

He said that between 2011 and 2013, there was only one reported burglary at Silver Woods Estate, where Pistorius lived.

"The only crime Pistorius has reported was on the day he killed Steenkamp - the theft of one of his watches," Maritz said.

• For breaking news updates from the courtroom, visit @oscarstrial on Twitter

Prosecution rests... Is that all?

• Bongi Mogale? (@Bongi43): "State has rested in the #OscarPistorius trial, defence to present its case. It will now be Nel's turn to put it to people."
• Chandrey EJ (?@ChandreyEJ): ". am in tears :'( - state could've tried harder! My heart bleeds for June Steenkamp. It's over - #oscarpistorius will walk."
• Amanda Dup (?@Aduppie): "#OscarPistorius I was waiting for the big reveal from the state . Premeditated murder won't stand - my opinion."
• Marc Raftopoulos (?@Marcraftop): "So relieved I'm not on trial. Sometimes my messages to my wife could make me look like a serial killer. #OscarPistoriusTrial
• Ahmed Tawakal (@atawakal): "On the #OscarPistorius trial me thinks he has an abnormality of tear ducts. He is breaking down more than a woman with PMS."
• shalala_SJ (@Alalahs): "#OscarPistorius prosecution rests? Is that all they could come up with??? Not impressed this guys gona walk."
• Lincohn J September (?@LJSeptember): "My Dad was more loving than #OscarPistorius. He used to beat my Mom once per month but told her he loved her 10 times per day = 99.7% loving."
• Marshall Gounden? (@550430marsha): "It is clear . this incident was an emotionally charged one and not premeditated. #OscarPistorius."

 Compiled by Andile Ndlovu