The lead lawyer for Paralympian gold medalist Oscar Pistorius has been attempting to discredit the evidence submitted in court that would allegedly prove that his client had knowingly shot his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp fatally on Valentine's Day last year. Bloomberg said defense lawyer Barry Roux said during the cross examination of crime-scene photographer Barend van Staden that police had contaminated evidence found during the scene of the incident.
Pistorius has submitted a not guilty plea to murder of Steenkamp and three gun-related charges. The athlete's camp had claimed that Pistorius shot Steenkamp through a toilet cubicle door in his bathroom believing she was an intruder. Bloomberg said prosecution has been trying to prove in court that Pistorius shot his girlfriend following a heated argument.
Before the trial began, Roux delayed the proceedings after requesting originals of all the photos that were taken at the scene of the incident.
Roux argued in court that van Staden could not have been the only photographer as he claimed to be at the scene after the shooting, as a series of photos showed several objects in different positions. "You could not have missed him. You were in the same passage. Same time, same passage. Just accept it. Together in the bathroom, in the bedroom, who took photos when you said you were alone," Roux said to the photographer.
Prosecutor Gerrie Nel, on the other hand, took van Straden through all of the photos taken at the crime scene. Bloomberg said that aside from van Straden, the prosecutor could call over 100 witnesses, which include experts in forensics and ballistics. The trial of the once-celebrated athlete in South Africa will last at least on April 4. Judge Thokozile Masipa is expected to give his final judgement, which will be broadcasted live on radio and television, the news agency added.
