South African sporting hero Oscar Pistorius insisted Tuesday he did not intend to kill his girlfriend after being accused of shooting her repeatedly through a locked bathroom door in what prosecutors said was a "premeditated" Valentine's Day murder.
"I had no intention to kill my girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp," the 26-year-old said in an affidavit read out at a court hearing in Pretoria, his first public comments since the February 14 killing.
Magistrate Desmond Nair hinted strongly that the double-amputee Olympian and Paralympian "Blade Runner" would not be released on bail and could face a charge of premeditated murder.
But Pistorius said he fired at the door of the bathroom where his 29-year-old lover was hiding as he was "filled with horrible fear" that someone had sneaked into his luxury Pretoria home through an open window.
"I fired shots at the door and shouted at the toilet," he said in the affidavit. "We were deeply in love and couldn't be more happy."
Prosecutor Gerrie Nel had told the court Pistorius had armed himself, put on his prosthetic legs, walked seven metres and fired four shots through the locked bathroom door, hitting a terrified Steenkamp three times and fatally wounding her.
"She could go nowhere," he said, adding that Pistorius had "shot and killed an unarmed innocent woman".
He said law graduate and model Steenkamp had arrived at Pistorius's home on Wednesday evening with an overnight bag, seeking to counter claims that the athlete had mistaken her for an intruder.
As the court hearing was under way in the South African capital, Steenkamp was being laid to rest at an emotional private ceremony at a crematorium in her hometown of Port Elizabeth.
Pistorius, who broke down in sobs at Tuesday's hearing when Steenkamp's name was mentioned, became an inspiration to millions when he became the first double amputee to run against able-bodied athletes at last year's Olympics.
But his career has been put on hold since the shooting, forcing him to cancel races in Australia, Brazil, Britain and the United States between March and May.
Pistorius's heavyweight legal team rejected claims that the killing was premeditated.
"We submit it's not even a murder. There's no concession that it's murder," said lawyer Barry Roux.
Roux challenged the claim that Pistorius put on his prostheses before shooting and argued the runner believed the person in the bathroom was an intruder.
"I will put before court case after case where husbands through accident shot wives... believing it was an intruder," said Roux. "Is that now preplanned murder?"
Roux also claimed Pistorius had broken down the door to help Steenkamp, who had been going out with the athlete since late last year.
Magistrate Nair said he could not rule out that there was some planning involved in the killing, which may be considered as a premeditated murder for the purposes of bail.
Gavin Venter, an ex-jockey who worked with Steenkamp's race horse trainer father, said Pistorius should not be freed before the trial.
"He's a danger to the public. He'll be a danger to witnesses, he must stay in jail, they mustn't release him."
In Port Elizabeth, tearful friends and family said goodbye to Steenkamp, whose cloth-draped coffin with white flowers laid on top was carried into a chapel in the southeastern coastal city where she grew up.
"It's kind of only sinking in now that I'm actually here, that she's really gone," said Bongiwe Gaxambaa, one of Steenkamp's classmates at a local private Catholic school.
A funeral programme simply entitled "Reeva", with the dates of her birth and death on it, showed a black-and-white portrait of Steenkamp with the words "God's Gift, A Child" written on the back.
"There's a space missing inside all of the people that she knew that can't be filled again," her brother Adam, who gave the eulogy, told reporters after the ceremony.
"We'll miss her."
On Saturday a celebrity television show aired haunting footage of Steenkamp speaking about the need to leave a positive mark on life, words laden with poignancy after her death.
Pistorius, who off the track has a rocky private life of rash behaviour, beautiful women, guns and fast cars, has built up a powerful team of lawyers, medical specialists and public relations experts for his defence.
Stuart Higgins, a former editor of British tabloid The Sun, whose lengthy list of clients includes British Airways, Chelsea FC and Manchester United football club, has taken over his public relations.
One of his lawyers, Kenny Oldwage, defended the driver in a 2010 accident that killed former president Nelson Mandela's great-grandchild Zenani. The driver was acquitted.
AFP
Tue Feb 19 2013
Tumpuan Isnin –20 Mei 2024
Ikuti rangkuman berita utama yang menjadi tumpuan di Astro AWANI.
Jenazah suspek serang balai polis masih belum dituntut
Jenazah lelaki yang maut ditembak dalam insiden serangan di Balai Polis Ulu Tiram di sini pada Jumaat masih belum dituntut ahli keluarganya di Jabatan Forensik Hospital Sultan Ismail (HSI) di sini.
AWANI 7:45 [19/05/2024] - Tamatkan kekejaman | Lelaki cuba rampas submesingan | Ancaman ugutan bunuh
- Lagi balai polis diserang, suspek cuba rampas submesingan
- Anwar desak Amerika Syarikat henti salur senjata kepada Israel
- Teresa Kok terima ugutan bunuh bersama dua peluru hidup
- Gunung Ibu meletus lagi, panduduk tujuh kampung dipindahkan
- Anwar desak Amerika Syarikat henti salur senjata kepada Israel
- Teresa Kok terima ugutan bunuh bersama dua peluru hidup
- Gunung Ibu meletus lagi, panduduk tujuh kampung dipindahkan
JSJK kesan trend iklan produk palsu salah guna imej individu terkenal
Polis menasihati orang ramai supaya sentiasa berhati-hati dalam melakukan pembelian barangan kesihatan menerusi internet.
Hargai peranan pasukan keselamatan negara - Raja Permaisuri Agong
Raja Permaisuri Agong, Raja Zarith Sofiah bertitah bahawa rakyat perlu menghargai peranan pasukan keselamatan dengan lebih berterima kasih.
DAP mahu teruskan legasi perjuangan Karpal Singh
DAP akan meneruskan legasi perjuangan tokoh politik parti dan bekas pengerusinya mendiang Datuk Seri Karpal Singh bersandarkan Perlembagaan Persekutuan.
TPM Fadillah tiba di Bali untuk hadir mesyuarat kepimpinan tertinggi Forum Air Dunia
Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof akan mewakili Malaysia dalam mesyuarat kepimpinan tertinggi di Forum Air Dunia (WWF) kali ke-10 di sini bermula esok.
Pekan Ulu Tiram perlukan 'peremajaan', tukar imej 'pekan koboi'
Program peremajaan itu perlu bagi meningkatkan lagi taraf ekonomi, pelancongan dan keselamatan di kawasan terbabit.
Polis siasat ugutan bunuh terhadap Teresa Kok
Polis mengesahkan menerima laporan mengenai ugutan terhadap Ahli Parlimen Seputeh, Teresa Kok Suh Sim pada Ahad.
AWANI Ringkas: Serangan balai polis | Ancaman terhadap Ahli Parlimen
Ikuti rangkuman berita utama yang menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari di Astro AWANI menerusi AWANI Ringkas.
'Blade Runner' Pistorius dibebas dengan parol 11 tahun selepas bunuh teman wanita
Oscar Pistorius dibebaskan dengan parol pada Jumaat, hampir 11 tahun selepas didapati bersalah membunuh teman wanitanya dalam kejadian yang menggemparkan negara itu.
Jaguh paralimpik Afrika Selatan, Oscar Pistorius kemuka rayuan kurangkan hukuman penjara
Jaguh paralimpik Afrika Selatan, Oscar Pistorius kemuka rayuan bagi mengurangkan tempoh hukuman penjara yang dijalani kerana membunuh teman wanitanya, Reeva Steenkamp.
Pendakwa Raya rayu hukuman lebih berat ke atas Pistorius
Barisan Pendakwa Raya berkata hukuman yang kini dijalani Pistorius tidak setimpal dengan jenayah yang dilakukannya.
Oscar Pistorius tidak akan menjalani latihan
Oscar Pistorius atlet paralimpik yang didakwa membunuh teman wanitanya Reeeva Steenkamp baru-baru ini, tidak akan kembali menjalani latihan dalam tempoh terdekat.
Abang Oscar Pistorious pula didakwa sebabkan kematian
Abang atlet olimpik Afrika Selatan, Oscar Pistorious pula dibicara atas dakwaan sebabkan kematian wanita.
Bintang paralimpik Oscar Pistorius dibenar ikat jamin
Bintang paralimpik Afrika Selatan, Oscar Pistorius yang berhadapan tuduhan membunuh teman wanitanya, Reeva Steenkamp, dibenar ikat jamin.
Kayu kriket berdarah dijumpai di rumah Pistorius
Police Afrika Selatan telah menjumpai kayu kriket yang diselaputi darah di rumah Oscar Pistorius, berikutan kejadian pembunuhan kekasihnya.
Perbicaraan kes Oscar Pistorius tangguh Selasa depan
Mahkamah Majistret Pretoria, Afrika Selatan menangguhkan sehingga Selasa depan bagi mendengar perbicaraan ikat jamin bintang palimpik, Oscar Pistorius.
Pistorius nafi ada niat bunuh teman wanita
Bintang paralimpik dunia dan Afrika Selatan, Oscar Pistorius menafikan dia mempunyai niat untuk membunuh teman wanitanya Reeva Steenkamp.
Atlet Afrika Selatan Oscar Pistorius dituduh membunuh
Atlet olimpik Afrika Selatan yang kudung dua kaki, Oscar Pistorius, atau dikenali sebagai Blade Runner, dihadapkan ke mahkamah di Afrika Selatan, atas dakwaan membunuh kekasihnya.