Oscar Pistorius jail sentence extended

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The Supreme Court of Appeal in South Africa’s Bloemfontein more than doubled the jail sentence of Oscar Pistorius from six years to 13 years and five months on Friday for murdering his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.

Prosecutors had argued that the original sentence of six years was too lenient.

The six-time Paralympic gold medalist killed his model girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp at his home in the early hours of Valentine’s Day in 2013, claiming he mistook her for a burglar and was trying to protect her.

File photo of Oscar Pistorius and his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp. /Reuters Photo‍

The prosecution called it a deliberate act after the two had an argument. It was reported that Pistorius shot Steenkamp four times through a locked toilet door at his home.

Pistorius was convicted of manslaughter in 2014 and was given a five-year jail sentence, but a higher court changed that to murder in 2015, and sentenced him to six years, which surprised many as the minimum sentence for murder in South Africa is 15 years.

The family of Steenkamp welcomed the increased sentence on Friday, saying that it showed that justice could prevail in South Africa.

South Africa's Oscar Pistorius wins the Men's 400m T44 classification at the Olympic Stadium during the London 2012 Paralympic Games September 8, 2012. /Reuters Photo

Besides the fact that Pistorius has won six Paralympic gold medals, he was also the first amputee sprinter to compete at the Olympic Games, in 2012 in London. He was amputated below the knee when he was 11 months old because he was born without fibula in both legs.

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