Durban - While the murder trial of Oscar Pistorius has been sombre and heartbreaking, it has not been without its fair share of awkward moments and unusual appearances (from earliest to most recent).
February 20, 2013
Sushi king Kenny Kunene pitched up during the athlete’s bail hearing, pledging his support. His advice to Pistorius was to “keep praying”.
February 27, 2013
Oscar Pistorius’s media team was forced to rubbish claims that Reeva Steenkamp had been pregnant at the time of her death.
Reports of the alleged pregnancy surfaced after the Daily Mail and National Enquirer published stories that the Steenkamp family had lost a daughter and grandchild.
“Oscar’s legal team confirmed that pathologist, Dr Reggie Perumal, denied Reeva was pregnant,” Pistorius’s spokeswoman Lunice Johnston said at the time.
February 28, 2013
Just two weeks after losing their daughter, the Steenkamps were moved by offers from strangers offering to help them financially.
The family’s lawyers, Advocate Dup de Bruyn and Mike Venter, said:”It is much appreciated. However that which still needs to be addressed concerns all issues surrounding the administration of such funds.”
March 5, 2013
Oscar Pistorius’s father Henke came under fire for causing a rift in the family after his interview with The Telegraph.
Henke said that in the article Oscar’s grandfather Hendrik, and his uncles Arnold, Theo and Leo owned a combined total of 55 shotguns and handguns.
“Some of the guns are for hunting and some are for protection, the hand guns. It speaks to the ANC government, look at white crime levels, why protection is so poor in this country, it’s an aspect of our society. You can’t rely on the police.”
April 4, 2013
Pistorius is seen training for the first time since the shooting at the University of Pretoria. The picture was snapped by a KwaZulu-Natal schoolgirl who was at the university for a hockey tournament.
April 13, 2013
The paralympian had been described by his family as reclusive but was seen at the Kitchen Bar restaurant in Johannesburg, where he reportedly flirted with women and knocked back shooters.
June 29, 2013
Pistorius was seen at an Audi dealership buying an R8 with friends and relatives.
August 11, 2013
The Daily Voice captured exclusive footage of Pistorius kayaking with friends at Hermanus’s Old Harbour, six months after the shooting.
The report triggered backlash online with many rushing to his defence.
February 3, 2014
An Irish-based online gambling website offered bets on whether Pistorius would be found guilty of murder.
The service, dubbed Paddy Power, offered odds of 2-5 for a not guilty verdict, and 7-4 for a guilty verdict.
The gambling site received more flack from social media users in March this year when they photoshopped Pistorius’ face on to an Academy Award along with the tagline: “Oscar Time: money back if he walks.”
March 3, 2014
The trial’s first day saw attention being diverted away from the court proceedings to the quality of the country’s interpreters.
The State’s first witness Michelle Burger was forced to correct her interpreter several times after she made several mistranslations.
This resulted in the emotional interpreter leaving court and Burger testifying in English.
March 5, 2014
Charl Johnson, the fourth witness in the trial, said his privacy had been compromised after the defence team had read his cellphone number into evidence.
Johnson, whose wife Burger had been the first witness, told the court that he had been inundated with phone calls, threats and accusations of lying in court.
March 6, 2014
A spoof advertisement, modelled on Nando’s posters, did the rounds on social media networks during the trial’s first week.
The advertisement had a picture of a burger with the words “The Michelle Burger extra grilled”. Burger was the first witness and was subjected to extensive cross-examination.
April 15, 2014
A poem and Valentine’s gift from the slain model shifted the court’s attention back to the trial.
“Roses are red. Violets are blue. I think today is a good day to tell you that I love you.”
These were Steenkamp’s last words to Pistorius in a Valentine’s Day card she had given the athlete the night she died.
October 16, 2014
Oscar's sister Aimee Pistorius was left in tears after self-confessed killer Mikey Schulz allegedly winked at, blew a kiss and mouthed the words “f*** you” to her during the sportsman’s sentencing proceedings. Schulz denied doing it, saying her had been there to support the Steenkamp family.
Daily News