Pistorius sentenced to six years in prison

Oscar Pistorius at his bail hearing in December 2015.

Image: SABC Digital News report on YouTube

Judge Thokozile Masipa handed down the judgment in the Pretoria High Court on Wednesday, 6 July 2016.

“ … The sentence I impose on the accused in terms of murder dolus eventualis is six years imprisonment,” said Judge Masipa.

She said a long-term of imprisonment will not serve justice and that Pistorius has already served 12 months, is a first-time offender and is not likely to reoffend.

Shortly after reading out the sentence, Judge Masipa said she would remain in chambers to hear whether there would be an application for leave to appeal today.

The Bloemfontein Supreme Court of Appeal ruled that Pistorius’s earlier conviction of culpable homicide be scaled up to murder. Justice Eric Leach said the court had found him guilty of murder under the principle of dolus eventualis.

The National Prosecuting Authority had brought an application challenging Pistorius's culpable homicide conviction for shooting and killing Steenkamp in the toilet cubicle of his home.

Pistorius was placed under correctional supervision at home as from 20 October 2015 after serving a fifth of his prison term.

Additional commentary added by Bizcommunity.com:

Says Bernard Hotz, Director at Werksmans Attorneys and Head of its Business Crimes & Investigations Practice, "My views are that once again I believe the state will appeal the ruling, this time on sentence.

"In the circumstances where a conviction has already been overturned to one of murder, my view is that the sentence does not do justice to the crime for which he has been convicted."