Pretoria - Oscar Pistorius has finally acknowledged the mother of the woman he killed… with a quick nod.
Reeva Steenkamp’s mother, June, attended proceedings at the High Court in Pretoria on Monday – and this time she got her wish.
Before the trial started more than two weeks ago June had said all she wanted was for her daughter’s killer, whom she had never met, to look her in the eye.
Steenkamp only attended the trial on the first day, when Pistorius avoided eye contact with her.
But Steenkamp was back on Monday and they made eye contact briefly.
Steenkamp had already taken her seat in the front row of the public gallery on Monday, next to her friend Jenny Strydom, when Pistorius walked in.
On his way to the dock, the athlete had to pass Steenkamp. Pistorius gave her a quick nod before walking on.
Later his sister, Aimee Pistorius, entered the court and on seeing Steenkamp sitting on the opposite side of the same bench that the Pistorius family occupies, rushed to her.
Aimee hunched beside Steenkamp and her friend and spoke to them for more than a minute. Aimee appeared emotional and teary as Steenkamp squeezed her hand.
This was the second time that Steenkamp has attended the trial, but she left the courtroom soon after the police photographer Bennie van Staden began testifying.
Van Staden was the second witness to take the court through a journey of how the scene looked early on February 14 last year.
When the first picture depicting bloodstains leading up to the main bedroom was shown on the TV screens, Steenkamp and her friend left.
It is understood that the prosecution had agreed to warn her beforehand when graphic material would be displayed. This resulted in Steenkamp not returning for the afternoon session.
Outside the court she faced a barrage of photographers who would not leave her alone.
Walking hand in hand with Jacqui Mofokeng, spokeswoman for the ANC Women’s League, Steenkamp and Strydom tried to make their way across the street.
The mainly foreign media cordoned her off to such an extent that she did not know which way to turn. This caused members of the local media to ask the foreign media to “just give her a bit of a break”.
It is understood that Steenkamp will attend the trial for the rest of the week.
Pretoria News