by
Wed, Feb 20 2013 05:02:58

Prosecution outlines case against Oscar Pistorius - as it happened

The Guardian's Africa correspondent David Smith - who tweets as @SmithInAfrica - was in court for the bail hearing as the prosecution outlined the case against Oscar Pistorius on charges of murdering girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp. Read his tweets from the scene below

  1. SmithInAfrica
    David Smith@SmithInAfrica
    Another almighty scramble to get into court for the Oscar Pistorius case. His father and brother in their usual seats on the front row.
    Tue, Feb 19 2013 23:35:56
  2. SmithInAfrica
    David Smith@SmithInAfrica
    Magistrate Nair takes chair, Pistorius takes seat in dock. Nair apologies for delay due to media arrangements.
    Wed, Feb 20 2013 00:11:37
  3. SmithInAfrica
    David Smith@SmithInAfrica
    Prosecutor Gerrie Nel: Premeditation. "Deliberate aiming of shots at toilet from about 1.5 metres."
    Wed, Feb 20 2013 00:14:53
  4. SmithInAfrica
    David Smith@SmithInAfrica
    Nel mentions a witness who heard "talking non-stop, like fighting, between two and three in the morning".
    Wed, Feb 20 2013 00:15:34
  5. SmithInAfrica
    David Smith@SmithInAfrica
    Investigating officer Hilton Botha takes stand. Arrived at scene at about 4.15am. "I found the deceased lying at the bottom of the stairs."
    Wed, Feb 20 2013 00:18:04
  6. SmithInAfrica
    David Smith@SmithInAfrica
    Botha: "She was already declared dead" by medics. "She had on white shorts and black vest. She was covered in towels."
    Wed, Feb 20 2013 00:18:42
  7. SmithInAfrica
    David Smith@SmithInAfrica
    Botha opposing bail. "The accused could be a flight risk. It's a serious crime, a serious matter." If guilty, he could get 15 years to life.
    Wed, Feb 20 2013 00:19:40
  8. SmithInAfrica
    David Smith@SmithInAfrica
    Botha: We asked to have the safes open. There was a specific safe in the kitchen but no key, so they brought a locksmith to open it.
    Wed, Feb 20 2013 00:20:42
  9. SmithInAfrica
    David Smith@SmithInAfrica
    Botha: Lawyer and brother came. They said they were looking for documents and a specific memory stick with details of offshore accounts.
    Wed, Feb 20 2013 00:21:48
  10. SmithInAfrica
    David Smith@SmithInAfrica
    Nel asks about extradition. Botha: "Difficult. We don't want another Dewani to happen. We're still waiting to get him back in the country."
    Wed, Feb 20 2013 00:23:14
  11. SmithInAfrica
    David Smith@SmithInAfrica
    Botha: I was present during post-mortem. Three entrance wounds: right side of head (ear), right elbow (broke arm), hip.
    Wed, Feb 20 2013 00:25:17
  12. SmithInAfrica
    David Smith@SmithInAfrica
    Botha: When they came to open a safe in bedroom cupboard, they found a box of .38 calibre ammunition rounds. Pistorius not a licence holder.
    Wed, Feb 20 2013 00:27:52
  13. SmithInAfrica
    David Smith@SmithInAfrica
    Botha: An overnight bag was on a couch on the lefthand side of the bed. There were also slippers.
    Wed, Feb 20 2013 00:32:28
  14. SmithInAfrica
    David Smith@SmithInAfrica
    Botha: Four shots fired, four cartridges. We think the cricket bat was used to break down the toilet door.
    Wed, Feb 20 2013 00:37:16
  15. SmithInAfrica
    David Smith@SmithInAfrica
    Nel asks Botha if shots were fired directly and toilet basin and he agrees. "If you fire straight at the door, you miss the toilet."
    Wed, Feb 20 2013 00:39:51
  16. SmithInAfrica
    David Smith@SmithInAfrica
    Pistorius sobbing, head lowered, looking tormented.
    Wed, Feb 20 2013 00:40:47
  17. SmithInAfrica
    David Smith@SmithInAfrica
    Botha: A firearm and an iPhone 4 and iPhone 5 were on the shower mat. The phones had not been used to make calls that morning.
    Wed, Feb 20 2013 00:42:47
  18. SmithInAfrica
    David Smith@SmithInAfrica
    Nair calls half-hour delay so lawyers come up with a better picture of what Pistorius's bathroom looks like.
    Wed, Feb 20 2013 00:45:26
  19. SmithInAfrica
    David Smith@SmithInAfrica
    Pistorius's father speaking Afrikaans to another family member. I tried talking to him but he declined.
    Wed, Feb 20 2013 01:20:54
  20. SmithInAfrica
    David Smith@SmithInAfrica
    Pistorius returns with a piece of paper and stands before a hungry pack of photographers. A cacophony of clicking.
    Wed, Feb 20 2013 01:25:10
  21. SmithInAfrica
    David Smith@SmithInAfrica
    Prosecutor Nel pointing to a diagram of Pistorius's house projected on to a white screen, talking through the details with Botha.
    Wed, Feb 20 2013 01:26:58
  22. SmithInAfrica
    David Smith@SmithInAfrica
    Nel: The accused's version is he went to the bathroom without his prostheses on and he fired. Check the angle, bullets fired up or down?
    Wed, Feb 20 2013 01:34:01
  23. SmithInAfrica
    David Smith@SmithInAfrica
    Botha: It seems he fired down.
    Wed, Feb 20 2013 01:34:36
  24. SmithInAfrica
    David Smith@SmithInAfrica
    Botha: Toilet has a small window, but even if you made it through, you wouldn't be able to get downstairs.
    Wed, Feb 20 2013 01:37:04
  25. SmithInAfrica
    David Smith@SmithInAfrica
    Botha: "We found two boxes of steroids..." Nel interrupts him. Botha corrects to: "Two boxes of testosterone, needles and injections."
    Wed, Feb 20 2013 01:40:54

Did you find this story interesting? or comment as 1 already did!

Liked!

The Guardian

Top stories, special features, live blogs and more from guardian.co.uk

53stories
2254followers
14following
Total views
6,797

Sorry.

This URL is already in use. Please choose another URL.
Edit URL

Storify

@Storify

Are you sure?

Are you sure you want to delete this story?

Are you sure?

Are you sure you want to flag this story?