Ipad key to Pistorius case
THE iPad owned by Reeva Steenkamp could be a key part of the Oscar Pistorius murder investigation, new reports claim.
THE iPad owned by Reeva Steenkamp could be a key part of the Oscar Pistorius murder investigation after claims that a message from a rugby player may have provoked a row that led to her being shot.
The device is understood to have been found in the bedroom of the 26-year-old Paralympic athlete after Ms Steenkamp (29) a model, was killed in the early hours of Valentine's Day. The iPad and the couple's phones are being checked by detectives, South Africa's ‘Times’ reported.
Francois Hougaard, a South African international rugby player, who was a friend of Pistorius and Ms Steenkamp, has strenuously denied that he played any part in “this whole sad ordeal”.
Reports last week suggested that his “close relationship” with the model, with whom he shared an agent and a brand ambassador role, might have been a cause of tension between the couple.
Neighbours are said to have complained to security guards two hours before shots were heard at the athlete's home east of Pretoria about a noise disturbance – potentially a row, detectives believe. Ms Steenkamp was shot four times and her skull was reportedly fractured.
Sources close to the police investigation told the newspaper yesterday that social media messages – including ones from Hougaard – might form part of the prosecution's evidence at Pistorius's bail hearing at the Pretoria Central Magistrates this morning.
Hougaard (24) corresponded regularly with Ms Steenkamp before her death on Twitter, posting a picture of the two of them together online after she died.
Lorinda Voges, his agent, said Hougaard was in mourning for his friend. “Our client will not comment on any rumours or answer any questions regarding Reeva Steenkamp or Oscar Pistorius at this stage as this is still an ongoing investigation . . . this sad ordeal has nothing to do with him,” she said.
Bail
Yesterday, lawyers visited Pistorius, who won two golds and a silver at last year's London Paralympics, at the police station where he is being held. They are believed to have helped him to draft a statement as part of his request to be bailed.
The prosecution team are expected to outline the case for premeditated murder and could call witnesses, including Samantha Taylor, a former girlfriend of Pistorius who has previously alleged that he mistreated her.
Peet van Zyl, the athlete's agent, said his client was struggling to come to terms with what had happened.
“I'm not a psychologist so I can't say if he's strong enough to cope with the court case,” he said. “I don't think one can be all right when you are in such a situation, if you compare to what he was in London. I don't think he is okay. It's not nice to see at all. It's a tragedy all round.”
It has been reported that Pistorius was tested for steroids following his arrest, after the banned drug was allegedly found at his home.
According to the ‘City Press’ newspaper, police wanted the athlete to be tested in anticipation that his defence team might claim that he acted in ‘roid rage’ – an aggressive condition associated with taking large doses of performance-enhancing drugs.
Separately, a friend of Pistorius claimed that the athlete nearly shot him at a restaurant recently when a pistol he was looking at accidentally went off.
Kevin Lerena, a boxer, said: “I had quite a fright, because the bullet hit the ground centimetres from my foot.” He said it was a “freak accident”, adding: “For some reason it got caught on his trousers, flipped the safety pin and a shot went off.
“Days afterwards he was still apologising.” (© Daily Telegraph, London)