News / Africa
Oscar Pistorius back in court
19 Aug 2013 at 07:28hrs | Views
The police's explosives teams carried out a precautionary sweep to check for explosives inside the Pretoria Magistrate's Court room where paralympian Oscar Pistorius would appear on Monday.
It would have been his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp's 30th birthday.
Reporters were asked to temporarily leave the court where earlier, video cameras were being set up.
Security had assisted media with more chairs.
Pistorius's brother Carl Pistorius was seen carrying the access tags that would allow his family inside.
The first two rows of the public gallery on one side was reserved for the Pistorius family while the first row of the other side was reserved for the Steenkamp family.
Earlier, local and international media gathered outside the court, with television crews lining the pavement across the road from the court's entrance, while journalists started taking their seats, with many sitting on the floor in front.
Indictment
Pistorius was charged with premeditated murder after the model and law graduate was shot dead in his Pretoria home on 14 February.
The State was expected to serve the double amputee with an indictment, the National Prosecuting Authority said on Friday.
"We also expect to have the trial starting early 2014, but we cannot at this stage confirm the exact date because this has to be agreed upon in court by all parties concerned," spokesperson Medupe Simasiku said at the time.
During a subsequent bail hearing, Pistorius's defence read out a statement in which Pistorius said he thought Steenkamp was an intruder.
He has been out on R1m bail since 22 February, with some of the conditions amended since then.
On 4 June, prosecutor Andrea Johnson said in court that no details of the investigation would be revealed. She said the State needed more time to investigate the crime.
This was by agreement with Pistorius's defence.
Johnson said the attention generated by Steenkamp's death was not something the prosecution or the State could control, and felt his rights should not be overridden and that he had the right to be treated like any other person.
Last Tuesday, police confirmed that the investigation into Steenkamp's death had been completed and that the matter would be postponed.
National police spokesperson Lieutenant General Solomon Makgale said the investigating team was convinced that Pistorius had a charge to answer to.
The court session was expected to start at 09:00.
It would have been his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp's 30th birthday.
Reporters were asked to temporarily leave the court where earlier, video cameras were being set up.
Security had assisted media with more chairs.
Pistorius's brother Carl Pistorius was seen carrying the access tags that would allow his family inside.
The first two rows of the public gallery on one side was reserved for the Pistorius family while the first row of the other side was reserved for the Steenkamp family.
Earlier, local and international media gathered outside the court, with television crews lining the pavement across the road from the court's entrance, while journalists started taking their seats, with many sitting on the floor in front.
Indictment
Pistorius was charged with premeditated murder after the model and law graduate was shot dead in his Pretoria home on 14 February.
The State was expected to serve the double amputee with an indictment, the National Prosecuting Authority said on Friday.
"We also expect to have the trial starting early 2014, but we cannot at this stage confirm the exact date because this has to be agreed upon in court by all parties concerned," spokesperson Medupe Simasiku said at the time.
During a subsequent bail hearing, Pistorius's defence read out a statement in which Pistorius said he thought Steenkamp was an intruder.
He has been out on R1m bail since 22 February, with some of the conditions amended since then.
On 4 June, prosecutor Andrea Johnson said in court that no details of the investigation would be revealed. She said the State needed more time to investigate the crime.
This was by agreement with Pistorius's defence.
Johnson said the attention generated by Steenkamp's death was not something the prosecution or the State could control, and felt his rights should not be overridden and that he had the right to be treated like any other person.
Last Tuesday, police confirmed that the investigation into Steenkamp's death had been completed and that the matter would be postponed.
National police spokesperson Lieutenant General Solomon Makgale said the investigating team was convinced that Pistorius had a charge to answer to.
The court session was expected to start at 09:00.
Source - Sapa
