No reason to grant Oscar bail, says State

Oscar Pistorius enters the dock during a break in court proceedings at the Pretoria Magistrates court, February 21, 2013."Blade Runner" Pistorius, a double amputee who became one of the biggest names in world athletics, was applying for bail after being charged in court with shooting dead his girlfriend, 30-year-old model Reeva Steenkamp, in his Pretoria house. REUTERS/Mike Hutchings

Oscar Pistorius enters the dock during a break in court proceedings at the Pretoria Magistrates court, February 21, 2013."Blade Runner" Pistorius, a double amputee who became one of the biggest names in world athletics, was applying for bail after being charged in court with shooting dead his girlfriend, 30-year-old model Reeva Steenkamp, in his Pretoria house. REUTERS/Mike Hutchings

Published Feb 21, 2013

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 Murder accused paralympian Oscar Pistorius had failed to provide exceptional circumstances why he should be granted bail, prosecutor Gerrie Nel said in the Pretoria Magistrate's Court on Thursday.

He was “astonished” that two parties could have such different arguments with the same facts.

He said: “(It was) murder of a defenceless woman in a 1.4 by 1.4m room.”

If the State accepted Pistorius's version of events, all that was left was the “planned shooting of an intruder”, said Nel.

No court would ever accept that Pistorius acted in self-defence.

The firearm and the cellphone “killed” his version, he said.

“How did the gun and the cellphone get on the carpet in front of the shower?

“He (Pistorius) stood at the wash basin. He fired at the door. He dropped the gun,” Nel alleged.

He asked why two cellphones and a firearm were found in the bathroom.

“The State's case is the preferred one,” he said.

Nel also did not rule out the possibility that Pistorius had orchestrated the scene to his benefit, he replied when questioned about this possibility by magistrate Desmond Nair.

All the State had to prove was that there was nothing exceptional which allowed Pistorius to get bail.

Pistorius is charged with the murder of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp. He has denied this in an affidavit, and has said he thought there was an intruder in his home. - Sapa

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