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Civil group disappointed at judgment handed down against Pistorius

Xinhua, July 7, 2016 Adjust font size:

The Commission for Gender Equality (CGE) on Wednesday voiced disappointment at the judgement handed down against Paralympian Oscar Pistorius for killing his girlfriend.

The Commission is of the view that the crime of murder perpetrated by Pistorius was of such a grievous nature that it warranted, at least, the 15-year minimum sentence as prescribed in the Criminal Procedures Act, CGE spokesperson Javu Baloyi said.

The six-year sentence "is therefore woefully inadequate given the nature of the crime committed, and in our considered view, fails to convey the necessary message of deterrence against perpetrators of similar lethal violence going forward, especially against women," said Baloyi.

Earlier on Wednesday, the High Court in Pretoria handed down a six-year sentence against murder-convicted Pistorius for killing his girl friend Reeva Steenkamp.

Judge Thokozile Masipa said Pistorius's murder trial had many mitigating factors.

"In the result, the sentence I impose on the accused in terms of murder dolus eventualis, is six years imprisonment," Masipa said.

She said a long term of imprisonment will not serve justice in this matter.

The accused has already served 12 months, he is a first offender and he is not likely to reoffend, Masipa said.

"Punishment is not what you choose to do. It is something that is imposed on you. By it's nature it is unpleasant, uncomfortable and painful.

"Recovery is possible. It will depend mostly on the accused's attitude of the punishment imposed on him," the judge said.

Responding to the sentence, the CGE said South Africa is a country where at least four women are killed by their intimate partners and outcome like this belittle the experiences of the victims of gender based violence.

"We say this notwithstanding Judge Masipa' s unequivocal statement that the murder of Reeva Steenkamp was not a case of gender based violence," said Baloyi.

The Paralympic sprinter was convicted of murdering Steenkamp at his home on Feb. 14, 2013.

In a previous judgment, Pistorius was convicted of culpable homicide. But the Supreme Court of Appeal later decided to change the conviction to murder, and referred the matter back to the High Court in Pretoria for re-sentencing.

"Nonetheless today' s judgement was disappointing," Baloyi said. Endit