‘No parole for Oscar’

Oscar Pistorius stands in the dock as sentence is delivered at the High Court in Pretoria. Picture: HERMAN VERWEY/POOL

Oscar Pistorius stands in the dock as sentence is delivered at the High Court in Pretoria. Picture: HERMAN VERWEY/POOL

Published Oct 21, 2014

Share

 

Johannesburg -

The IFP Women's Brigade on Tuesday welcomed the sentence handed down in the Oscar Pistorius case but said he should not get parole.

“He should serve the sentence associated with such a crime before he can be released,” chairwoman Thembeni kaMadlopha-Mthethwa said in a statement.

“Those guilty of killing must be subjected to serve their full sentence without parole.”

She said the Inkatha Freedom Party Women's Brigade wanted Pistorius to be treated like any other criminal.

Pistorius was sentenced to five years in prison after being found guilty of culpable homicide. For discharging a firearm at Tasha's restaurant in January 2013, he was sentenced to three years in jail, suspended for five years.

The sentences would run concurrently, Judge Thokozile Masipa ruled.

Gun Free SA said it was surprised at the suspended sentence for the firearm offence.

“It is one of the most serious offences in terms of the (Firearms Control) act,” it said.

“The act says you can get up to 15 years... and that signals that the law sees this as a serious offence.”

The organisation said it was irrelevant whether someone was hurt or not.

“The point is the discharge of a firearm puts people's lives at risk...

“We are not sure if (the suspended sentence) sends a strong enough message to gun owners that that behaviour is unacceptable.”

Gun Free SA welcomed the decision by the court to declare Pistorius unfit to own firearms and that all his existing certificates and guns be handed in.

Following the sentencing the paralympian's uncle Arnold said Pistorius would embrace the five-year prison sentence.

“We accept the judgment. Oscar will embrace the sentence,” Arnold Pistorius told the media.

The African National Congress Women's League said the sentence signalled a sad day for women in the country.

“We are saddened by the judgment... we have never been happy with the conviction of culpable homicide, instead of murder,” spokeswoman Jacqui Mofokeng said outside court.

“We call for the national prosecutions to appeal this sentence... and do it for our society.”

The head of the National Prosecuting Authority Mxolisi Nxasana told Parliament's portfolio committee on justice on Tuesday he would discuss the five-year prison sentence handed down, and a possible appeal, with prosecutors. - Sapa

Related Topics: