Authorities refuse to confirm new charges against Oscar Pistorius

Cape Town, Aug 17 (IANS)

Oscar Pistorius at the Pretoria Magistrates court on February 22, 2013, in Pretoria, South Africa. Pistorius is accused of the murder of Reeva Steenkamp on February 14, 2013. This marks day 4 of his bail hearing. (Photo by Alet Pretorius/Foto24/Gallo Images/Getty Images)

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) refused to confirm that murder-accused Paralympian Oscar Pistorius faces two new charges.

Pistorius is expected to face two new charges of recklessly discharging a gun in a public place when he appears in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court Monday, news channel eNCA said, reports Xinhua.

The report said the NPA had told Pistorius’ lawyers of its plan to lay the charges against him — the first charge reportedly related to Pistorius firing his gun out of the sunroof of a friend’s car while driving home from a holiday and the second charge allegedly related to Pistorius accidentally firing his friend’s gun in a Johannesburg restaurant.

But the NPA refused to confirm the report.

“All what you have here and the rest of the media is not from us, so we cannot comment on it,” North Gauteng NPA spokesman Medupe Simasiku said in a text message.

“Unfortunately we are not commenting on that,” he said in reference to the report.

The news came after police had concluded their investigation of Pistorius allegedly murdering his girlfriend Reeva Stamkemp at his Pretoria home on Valentine’s Day this year.

Next week, Pistorius and his defence team will get a full picture of what evidence the state has against him and how it will try and prove he murdered Steenkamp.

The state is preparing to serve the indictment on him. When the indictment is served, the state is also expected to disclose the docket of evidence to allow the accused to prepare a defence.

Pistorius shot and killed Steenkamp in the early hours Feb 14. He said he shot Steemkamp, mistaking her for a burglar. But police do not support his accounts and argue a case of premeditated murder.

The athlete is currently out on 1-million-rand (about $100,000) bail.

While there’s been no confirmation of a trial date, it’s expected to be set for the first quarter of next year.

Pistorius is known as the Blade Runner because of his carbon fiber prosthetic blades. He was the first double amputee to run in the Olympics. He reached the 400 metre semi-finals at the London 2012 Games.