Oscar Pistorius 'not guilty' claims: Reeva's reps respond
Reeva Steenkamp's family legal representative has responded to Oscar Pistorius's claims that he had 'no intent' to murder the model. Last week, Henke Pistorius claimed that his son was 'not guilty' of killing his girlfriend.
He believes the former Paralympian was, however, responsible for manslaughter and has since accused the state of being 'incompetent' and 'liars'.
Reeva was shot and killed after being mistaken for a home intruder at Oscar's Pretoria mansion. He has since served half of his 13 years and five months behind bars, and is now on parole.
Last week, OscarPistorius's dad, Henke, appeared on the Piers Morgan Uncensored show, where he made bold claims about his son's murder trial.
In it, he accused the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) of being 'incompetent and dishonest'. He also accused state prosecutor Gerrie Nel of 'misleading and lying to the court'
Henke repeatedly claimed that Oscar had 'no intent to kill' Reeva Steenkamp. He referred to evidence of his son using just four bullets to murder Reeva Steenkamp through a toilet door. Henke also claimed that Oscar did not know that his girlfriend was in the bathroom.
Oscar Pistorius – who shot and killed Reeva on 14 February 2013 – was convicted of culpable homicide in October 2014. This was later upgraded to murder in December 2015. At the time, he was handed a six-year prison sentence.
However, in November 2017, following an unsuccessful appeal, the Supreme Court of Appeal increased his jail term to 13 years and five months. Oscar Pistorius's dad Henke says his son is not guilty of murder.
Images via SIPHIWE SIBEKO for AFP/ YouTube screenshot: Piers Morgan Uncensored.
In a statement to The South African, Tana Koen, the legal representative for Reeva Steenkamp's family, expressed her shock at Henke's claims.
'It is on record that the learned judges of the Supreme Court of Appeal found that in firing the fatal shots, the accused must have foreseen, and therefore foresaw that whoever was behind the toilet door might die.
'The judgement further stated that the contradictions were so serious that one really does not know that his explanations are for having fired the fatal shots. No similar statements were made about the state's conduct.
During his interview with Piers Morgan, Henke Pistorius also challenged the former NPA prosecutor to debate him on Oscar's murder trial.
Henke demanded the 'same rules as court' in his face-off with Gerrie.
He said: 'I ask the questions, he can just say 'yes or no'. Let's see if he will accept that, please'.
Gerrie – who now works for AfriForum's private prosecuting unit – has yet to respond.
Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 .
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Citizen
an hour ago
- The Citizen
Wrongfully arrested woman wins nearly R600k after ordeal that drove her to consider suicide
The woman experienced planned to kill herself by overdosing on pills while in police custody. A woman who endured a harrowing 10-day detention after a wrongful arrest has been awarded nearly R600 000 in damages by the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA). Cynthia Nobuhle Khedama initially sued the Minister of Police for R1 million over her arrest and detention, which she said left her humiliated and traumatised. Arrest and xenophobic abuse On 3 December 2011, Khedama was at King Shaka International Airport in Durban with her Cameroonian boss and his wife, preparing to depart for a business trip to Turkey. Two police officers approached and escorted her for questioning. She testified that officers made xenophobic remarks, stating she was being searched because she was with a 'kwerekwere', a derogatory term for foreign nationals. Despite no incriminating items being found during a search, she was arrested. ALSO READ: Potchefstroom man awarded R850k in damages after horrific ordeal of wrongful arrest, detention When asked to phone her parents, she told police they were deceased and instead requested they contact a Cape Town officer familiar with fraud allegations linked to her stolen identity document. Even after her story about the loss of her ID being reported to the South African Police Service (Saps) was confirmed by a Captain Bernard, the Durban officers insisted on further detainment. They later accused her of being involved with a 'kwerekwere' when she revealed her boyfriend was also a foreign national. Traumatic detention Khedama was taken to Tongaat Police Station and detained in a small, filthy cell. According to her, the toilet in the cell was very dirty with faeces and smelt terribly. She spent the night sitting and unable to sleep. The woman said no food was offered to her and later developed an intense headache. She testified that she was so distressed that she contemplated suicide, saving up headache tablets with the intention of overdosing. READ MORE: Daveyton man seeks R350k in damages after wife left him following unlawful arrest Although she was later given bread and tea, the stench of faeces in the cell made it impossible for her to eat or drink. She was also unable to touch the meal from KFC brought by her boyfriend. Throughout her detention at Tongaat Police Station, she was never given the chance to exercise, nor was she afforded any opportunity to bathe. On 5 December, she was taken to Verulam Magistrate's Court without a chance to apply for bail and informed she would be transported to Cape Town. The cross-country journey to Cape Town involved two overnight stops in deplorable cells in Mthatha and Monti in Eastern Cape, where she endured freezing conditions and no food. Bail release Upon arriving in Cape Town on 11 December, her fingerprints were taken again, confirming she was not the person police were seeking. Khedama appeared in the Phillipe East Magistrate's Court on 12 December. She was granted R1 000 bail later reduced to R500 on 12 December after explaining she cared for two children and had no funds. READ MORE: R1.66 billion in claims paid out by Saps for assault, wrongful arrest and detention over four years The woman returned to Durban shortly after and was eventually cleared when her identity was definitively confirmed in March 2012. The ordeal also had a lasting impact on her employment. Her boss and colleagues began to mistrust her, which ultimately led to her demotion from her position as sales manager. On a subsequent business trip, the same two police officers who had initially arrested Khedama approached her at the airport again – this time claiming they were 'just joking' and wanted to find out what had happened her. Woman sues police minister for wrongful arrest Khedama subsequently filed a lawsuit against the Minister of Police, seeking compensation for embarrassment and humiliation; defamation of character; physical and emotional distress; loss of freedom through wrongful arrest and detention; psychological trauma; as well as travel, subsistence, and related expenses incurred during her ordeal. She was initially awarded R1 million in damages. The Minister of Police appealed the ruling at the KZN High Court in Pietermaritzburg. This led to the damages being significantly reduced to R350 000, plus interest at 15.5% per annum from the date of judgment until payment. SCA judgment Khedama then took her case to the SCA, where the matter was heard on 2 May 2025. In a judgment delivered on 5 June, Acting SCA Judge Daniel Dlodlo ruled in her favour, concluding that there had been no evidence to suggest Khedama posed any threat to society, nor was she considered dangerous or violent. 'There are indeed more questions than answers in this case,' Dlodlo remarked. 'She did not only lose her seniority status at her employment; she suffered damage to her reputation as a result of being arrested and detained in the manner it was done. 'All this played out in the presence of her boss. The latter cannot be blamed for completely changing his attitude towards the appellant. He became suspicious of her and mistrusted her. 'The boss must have thought that the appellant was indeed the type of personality displayed by the police,' the further judgment reads. Dlodlo further pointed out the severe psychological toll of her detention. 'She rightfully must have thought that it would be better for her to rather die.' Considering the manner in which Khedama was treated during her detention, the judge found the high court's decision to reduce the damages awarded to be unjustified. He upheld her appeal and revised the damages awarded to R580 000. NOW READ: Mozambican man bags R270K in damages after 'xenophobic assault', unlawful arrest by SA police
The Herald
4 hours ago
- The Herald
AFU obtains confiscation order against ex-rangers who killed two rhinos
The Skukuza regional court has granted a confiscation order in favour of the National Prosecuting Authority's Asset Forfeiture Unit (AFU) in Mpumalanga against two convicted former field rangers who killed two rhinos in December 2018. 'The order, made on Thursday, compels Lucky Mkanzi and Nzima Joel Sihlangu to pay R836,600, plus 11% interest accruing from the date of the poaching of two rhinos,' NPA spokesperson Monica Nyuswa said. The court further directed that R41,820 being held in the SAPS Absa suspense bank account be paid to SANParks to support anti-rhino poaching efforts. Mkanzi and Sihlangu were each sentenced to 20 years' direct imprisonment last year for offences committed between December 25 and 30 2018 in the Skukuza section of the Kruger National Park. At the time of the offences, both were on day shift and had no authorisation to work during the night. During their trial, the prosecution presented evidence showing that the vehicle used in the poaching incident was stationary at the location where the rhinos were killed. Their supervisor testified that neither of the accused had permission to be on night duty. A tracking expert confirmed the movements of the vehicle, placing them at the crime scene, and a police officer testified about a raid on Sihlangu's residence where cash from the sale of rhino horns was found. Both accused were convicted of conspiracy to commit an offence and the illegal killing of two rhinos. 'The AFU plays a vital role in ensuring that criminals do not benefit from their unlawful actions. Through the AFU, the NPA continues to reinforce accountability, uphold the rule of law, and demonstrate that crime has serious financial and legal consequences,' Nyuswa said. TimesLIVE
The Citizen
4 hours ago
- The Citizen
Local experts breaks down body language
Socio-behavioural scholar and businesswoman Dr Denise Bjorkman is the guest speaker at the next University of the Third Age (U3A) meeting at Northfield Methodist Church on June 10. Bjorkman is the founder and CEO of the Neuro Business Institute. She's a local body language expert renowned for her analysis during the Oscar Pistorius trial, where she examined his body language during the initial stages of his murder trial. ALSO READ: How to ward off criminals from your home – expert advises Bjorkman's analysis covered aspects such as Pistorius' posture, facial expressions and non-verbal cues, aiming to interpret the former Paralympian's emotions and reactions during the trial. She has also offered insights into high-profile criminal trials like the Inge Lotz murder case, the Henrico Christo van Breda murder trial as well as the Donovan Moodley case. The U3A is a worldwide NPO for retired people. They meet every second Tuesday of every month, and a speaker is invited to address the members on various topics. The Benoni branch holds its meetings at Northfield Methodist Church. Registration begins at 09:30, and the meeting starts at 10:00. Visitors are welcome at R20. For more info, you may contact Colleen Russell on 082 346 4756. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
