Oscar appeal to be heard in Pretoria

Paralympian Oscar Pistorius is seen at the high court in Pretoria on Friday, 17 October 2014. Pistorius was earlier this year convicted of culpable homicide for the Valentine's Day 2013 shooting of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp in his Pretoria townhouse. The court found him not guilty of murdering Steenkamp. Defence lawyer Barry Roux and prosecutor Gerrie Nel will present their closing arguments in the sentencing proceedings of Pistorius on Friday. Picture: Werner Beukes/SAPA/Pool

Paralympian Oscar Pistorius is seen at the high court in Pretoria on Friday, 17 October 2014. Pistorius was earlier this year convicted of culpable homicide for the Valentine's Day 2013 shooting of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp in his Pretoria townhouse. The court found him not guilty of murdering Steenkamp. Defence lawyer Barry Roux and prosecutor Gerrie Nel will present their closing arguments in the sentencing proceedings of Pistorius on Friday. Picture: Werner Beukes/SAPA/Pool

Published Dec 9, 2014

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Johannesburg - The State's application for leave to appeal Oscar Pistorius's sentence and conviction is expected to be heard in the High Court in Pretoria on Tuesday.

Tuesday would mark Pistorius's 49th day at the Kgosi Mampuru II prison since being sentenced to five years in jail by Judge Thokozile Masipa on October 21.

The State filed papers last month calling for a heavier conviction and harsher sentence to be imposed on the athlete.

In the court papers, the State described the sentence imposed on him as “shockingly light and inappropriate”.

Pistorius testified that he accidentally shot dead his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, through a locked bathroom door at his Pretoria home on Valentine's Day last year.

He said he thought she was an intruder.

He was sentenced to five years for culpable homicide, and three years suspended for five years for discharging a firearm at Tasha's restaurant in Sandton, Johannesburg, in January 2013.

Law expert Mannie Witz said on Monday that Pistorius could get bail if the State succeeded in its application.

There were also reports that his defence team would challenge the appeal on the grounds that the State was challenging Judge Masipa's factual findings rather than her legal findings.

Sapa

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