Oscar Pistorius faces jail as appeal bid fails

04 March,2016 08:22 AM IST |   |  AFP

Oscar Pistorius was yesterday preparing to return to jail for 15 years after South Africa's Constitutional Court rejected his last-ditch attempt to appeal his murder conviction for shooting his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp

Oscar Pistorius


Johannesburg: Oscar Pistorius was yesterday preparing to return to jail for 15 years after South Africa's Constitutional Court rejected his last-ditch attempt to appeal his murder conviction for shooting his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.


Oscar Pistorius

Pistorius' lawyers had applied for leave to appeal to the Constitutional Court, the highest court in SA, arguing that the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) had wrongly upgraded his conviction to murder. But the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), which opposed the application, said the appeal bid had failed.

"The court dismissed the application for leave to appeal because there are no prospects of success," NPA spokesman Luvuyo Mfaku told AFP. The former Paralympic champion (29) will attend a sentencing hearing in Pretoria on April 18.

The 15-year jail term may be reduced due to time he's already spent in prison. The double-amputee killed model Steenkamp on Valentine's Day three years ago, saying he mistook her for an intruder when he shot four times through his bedroom toilet door.

"Exciting news! Mid-day is now on WhatsApp Channels Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!
Related Stories