Murder trial of Oscar Pistorius nearing its end

Oscar Pistorius

Pretoria, Aug 7 (IANS/EFE): The murder trial of South African athlete Oscar Pistorius entered its final phase Thursday in Pretoria's High Court, with closing arguments by the prosecution.

Prosecutor Gerrie Nel accused Pistorius of maintaining two different and contradictory versions on the death of his girlfriend, model Reeva Steenkamp, on February 14 last year.

Pistorius has denied murdering Steenkamp, whom he said he mistook for an intruder when he shot her several times through the door of the bathroom in his Pretoria home.

Nel reminded that Pistorius had also declared during the trial that he did not intend to shoot and did it in a state of panic and by accident, a version which, he said, contradicted the one on an intruder.

The trial is set to end Friday with the final presentation of conclusions by the defense.

Experts believe judge Thokozile Masipa will issue a verdict in less than a month.

Nel has accused Pistorius of deliberately shooting Steenkamp due to disagreements between the couple witnessed by several of their neighbours, and has demanded his conviction, which may lead to life imprisonment.

Pistorius is also being tried for illegal possession of a firearm.

During the trial, the defence said the athlete's disability explained his reaction to the belief an intruder had entered his house, in a country with high crime rates like South Africa.

The sprinter had both his legs amputated when he was a baby due to a genetic problem, and runs on two prosthetic legs.

The defendant will once again be supported by his family in the courtroom of Pretoria's High Court.

June Steenkamp, mother of the deceased model who at the time of her death was 29, will also be attending.

The trial, which is now drawing to a close, began March 3 and has attracted worldwide media attention.

Pistorius, 27, was the first athlete with artificial limbs to participate in the Olympics, in the London games held in 2012.