High noon in dock for Pistorius
THE time has come for Oscar Pistorius to tell the world in his own words what happened in the early hours of Valentine’s Day last year.
Once his top legal team begin leading their own witnesses, the country will see one of the most detailed — and expensive — defences mounted in a criminal court in South Africa’s history.
From animated crime scene reenactments to voice tests to prove the Olympic superstar “screams like a girl”, no stone has been left unturned to make sure he has the best possible defence.
The athlete, on trial for murder after he shot his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, is expected to be one of the first witnesses to be called by the defence.
He could take the stand as early as this week if the prosecution closes its case, as it has said it would do.
Defence advocate Barry Roux has already painted a picture of what his client will tell Judge Thokozile Masipa: the Paralympian is a man aware of, and scared of, violent crime, and has received threats in the past.
One of the first questions Roux posed to former Boschkop police station commander Schoombie van Rensburg was about a scene he attended before rushing to Pistorius’s house that fateful morning.
Van Rensburg said he had been at an armed robbery in another “secure” estate. Asked whether crime and robberies still occurred in such estates, Van Rensburg replied:
“They do. If the criminals want to enter a place, they will make a plan.”
Legal expert Professor Stephen Tuson said: “This is going to come down to his state of mind — how he, as someone with a disability, experienced fear and why he felt the need to arm himself. Would he have reacted the same as another reasonable person? These are key issues the defence will present to the court.”
Roux is also expected to lead evidence from his own ballistics expert, Wollie Wolmarans, on why they believe the first shot through the toilet door hit Steenkamp in the head. It is a crucial aspect for the defence because it would have rendered the model incapable of screaming between the shots, as neighbours testified.
Other issues that Pistorius will have to explain on the stand include:
Why did he not awaken Steenkamp after hearing a noise from the bathroom? In his plea explanation, he said he had spoken to his girlfriend in bed just moments before;
Why did he shoot at an “intruder” through a closed door despite his firearm competency training, from which he would have been aware it was strictly forbidden? His gun dealer testified Pistorius passed these tests;
Why did he fire four shots through the door and not a warning shot first? He has given no indication that he saw an “intruder” that put his life directly at risk; and
Why would two former friends have lied about an incident when he allegedly shot through an open sunroof? Pistorius has flatly denied the claim despite testimony by his former girlfriend, Samantha Taylor, and friend Darren Fresco about his reckless behaviour.
Prosecutor Gerrie Nel said he intended calling another “four or five” witnesses before closing the state’s case this week. It is expected that cellphone expert Captain Francois Moller will be among those witnesses.
Also expected to be called are Johan Stander, manager of Silver Woods Country Estate and one of the first people on the scene, and another friend of the athlete, who is expected to testify about his “violent behaviour”.
A source close to the investigating team said: “We are still deciding who to call, but feel it is necessary to maybe call another friend to testify about his aggressive and possessive nature.”
This could mean that either Steenkamp’s former boyfriend, Warren Lahoud, or her friend, Gina Myers, will take the stand. Lahoud previously told how, during lunch with Steenkamp days before her death, Pistorius called her constantly.