Reviewing politics
and culture since 1913

  1. World
  2. Africa
21 October 2014

Oscar Pistorius sentenced to five years in jail

He also receives a three-year suspended sentence for a firearms offence.

By New Statesman

Oscar Pistorius has been sentenced to five years in jail for killing his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp. He shot her three times through a door in their Pretoria home on 14 February 2013.

Pistorius was convicted of culpable homicide in September, but cleared of murder.

His defence had argued for him to receive a sentence involving community service and house arrest, while the prosecution called for a minimum of ten years in jail.

Judge Thokozile Masipa said that sentencing must be a balance between retribution, deterrence and rehabilitation.

Both the prosecution and the defence have the right to appeal the verdict.

Content from our partners
Every child deserves access to vaccination
Cyber attacks are evolving – so too must government response
The public sector's rocky-road to innovation

Subscribe to The New Statesman today from only £8.99 per month