Oscar’s trial resumes

Oscar Pistorius bows his head as he stands in the dock at the Pretoria Magistrate's Court. File picture: Masi Losi

Oscar Pistorius bows his head as he stands in the dock at the Pretoria Magistrate's Court. File picture: Masi Losi

Published Mar 17, 2014

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Johannesburg -

Monday will see day 11 unfold in the murder trial of Oscar Pistorius in the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria.

On Friday, a former police officer admitted to the court that evidence was mishandled on the scene where the Paralympian shot his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp.

Giliam van Rensburg said he was dismayed to see a colleague pick up the handgun found on Pistorius’s bloodied bathroom floor without protective gloves.

“So I asked him ‘What are you doing?’” said Van Rensburg, adding that, at this, the ballistics expert looked down and realised he was bare-handed.

“And then he said 'Sorry',” said Van Rensburg, a now retired station commander who was the first policeman to arrive at Pistorius's home on Valentine's Day last year.

The admission came as Van Rensburg was answering questions from prosecutor Gerrie Nel, testifying notably that there was no sign of forced entry into the disabled track star's home.

Pistorius has pleaded not guilty to premeditated murder, claiming he believed there was an intruder hiding in a locked toilet cubicle in his home when he fired four shots into it, fatally wounding Steenkamp. - Sapa

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