News / Africa
Murder-accused Pistorius can now leave South Africa
28 Mar 2013 at 08:29hrs | Views
Pretoria - Murder-accused paralympian Oscar Pistorius can now leave the country, a North Gauteng High court judge ruled on Thursday.
Judge Bert Bam said: "I can find no reason why Pistorius should not be allowed to travel overseas to compete if invited to do so."
"Not giving the appellant his passport was wrong.
"He has immovable assets. He is a professional athlete. He needs his passport to compete."
Bam ruled that Pistorius will have to hand his passport to his lawyer and should he decide to travel, must provide an itinerary to the National Prosecuting Authority.
The Judge also ruled that conditions relating to his presence at his Silverwoods Estate home and that he report to the Brooklyn police station twice a week be set aside.
Judge Bert Bam said these were not listed in the court order of 22 February.
"These two conditions should be disregarded," Bam said.
Bam found that while Pistorius was emotional, but there was no evidence he was of "unstable mind" and needed to report to a probation officer.
He called this "unreasonable and unfair" and unsupported by any evidence.
Pistorius had appealed against the limitation on him visiting his home, and had argued that the visits to the police station unnecessarily exposed him to the criminal justice system.
Pretoria Magistrate Desmond Nair "misdirected himself" with the bail conditions he set for Pistorius, the North Gauteng High Court found.
Pistorius, who was arrested on February 14 after Steenkamp was shot dead in his Pretoria home, was not present for the appeal.
Judge Bert Bam said: "I can find no reason why Pistorius should not be allowed to travel overseas to compete if invited to do so."
"Not giving the appellant his passport was wrong.
"He has immovable assets. He is a professional athlete. He needs his passport to compete."
Bam ruled that Pistorius will have to hand his passport to his lawyer and should he decide to travel, must provide an itinerary to the National Prosecuting Authority.
The Judge also ruled that conditions relating to his presence at his Silverwoods Estate home and that he report to the Brooklyn police station twice a week be set aside.
Judge Bert Bam said these were not listed in the court order of 22 February.
"These two conditions should be disregarded," Bam said.
Bam found that while Pistorius was emotional, but there was no evidence he was of "unstable mind" and needed to report to a probation officer.
He called this "unreasonable and unfair" and unsupported by any evidence.
Pistorius had appealed against the limitation on him visiting his home, and had argued that the visits to the police station unnecessarily exposed him to the criminal justice system.
Pretoria Magistrate Desmond Nair "misdirected himself" with the bail conditions he set for Pistorius, the North Gauteng High Court found.
Pistorius, who was arrested on February 14 after Steenkamp was shot dead in his Pretoria home, was not present for the appeal.
Source - Sapa
