Pistorius will not appeal sentence – lawyer

6th July 2016 By: News24Wire

Pistorius will not appeal sentence – lawyer

Oscar Pistorius
Photo by: Reuters

Oscar Pistorius will not appeal his six-year jail sentence for the murder of Reeva Steenkamp, a member of his legal team said outside the High Court in Pretoria on Wednesday.

"We respect the decision of Judge Masipa and are not lodging an application for leave to appeal. Oscar will serve his sentence as handed down," Andrew Fawcett told reporters.

Told by a reporter that she had heard that the State was considering applying for leave to appeal, he said: "We will let them make that decision."

Moments earlier, Steenkamp’s parents June and Barry, and their lawyer Dup de Bruyn got into a white car parked outside the court and drove off. Several African National Congress Women's League (ANCWL) members surrounded the car and sang senzeni na? (what have we done?).

Shortly after Judge Thokozile Masipa adjourned proceedings, De Bruyn told ANCWL members inside courtroom GD that the law had taken its course.

"From now on, a dignified silence," he advised them.

The league’s Jacqui Mofokeng pointed to the black doek she had around her head, and said it was a day of mourning. She said the sentence was an embarrassment to the country’s justice system.