Oscar failed to tell court why he murdered Reeva: NPA

The National Prosecuting Authority has argued that Oscar Pistorius failed to take the Pretoria High Court into his confidence about why he killed Reeva Steenkamp.

“He should have taken the court into his confidence and said‚ ‘This is why I did it.’ With nothing more‚ there is no gut-wrenching remorse‚” prosecutor Andrea Johnston argued before the Supreme Court of Appeal on Friday.

The NPA wants the appeal court to impose a longer jail sentence‚ saying the six years he is serving for killing his girlfriend is shockingly low.

Pistorius shot dead Reeva Steenkamp in the early hours of Valentine’s Day in 2013‚ when he fired four times through the door of his bedroom toilet – an act‚ he says‚ that came from mistaking her for a burglar.

 Pistorius was originally convicted of culpable homicide – the equivalent of manslaughter – in 2014‚ but the appeal court in Bloemfontein upgraded his conviction to murder in 2015.

Johnston argued that Pistorius had not given an explanation as to why he shot those four bullets through the bathroom door.

“The court aquo ignored key material findings of the present court [SCA] when it found Pistorius guilty of murder‚” Johnston argued.

“The quo misdirected itself when it found there were compelling circumstances to impose a lesser sentence.”

She contended that Pistorius had not showed any remorse.

In December‚ the SCA convicted Pistorius of murder‚ saying his testimony was “vacillating and untruthful”.

Judge Ronnie Bosielo‚ however‚ said Pistorius did apologise and offered to meet with Reeva’s family‚ but they refused to meet with him.

“He said‚ ‘I’m sorry.’ He made various attempts to talk to the family.The family refused to talk to him. What more could he have done?” Bosielo asked.

“Yes [he apologised] but without more. There is no remorse. All he says is he is sorry. He does not say why he killed the deceased‚” responded Johnston.

“He doesn’t say he is sorry for intentionally causing the death of the deceased.”

She told the court that trial Judge Thokozile Masipa elevated Pistorius’s regret and that his regret does not absolve him from the crime he committed.