Both the state and the defence present their final arguments in the Pretoria High Court today on how Paralympic star Oscar Pistorius should be punished for unlawfully killing his lover Reeva Steenkamp.
After a week of hearing sentencing testimony, the judge will take at least a few more days to hand down her decision.
Prosecutor Gerrie Nel’s pressing for a 15 year custodial sentence for the man found guilty of culpable homicide. He produces the acting head of South Africa’s prison services Zach Modise.
The chief warder says South African prisons are perfectly capable of accommodating someone like Pistorius, who is a double amputee.
Defence counsel Barry Roux extracts an undertaking from Modise that, if jailed, Pistorius will be housed in the prison hospital.
Steenkamp’s cousin Kim Martin testifies that Reeva’s death has destroyed her family.
She says they’re not seeking revenge but Pistorius should be made to pay for negligently shooting Steenkamp.
The headlines are grabbed by events in the public gallery.
Self-confessed killer Mikey Schulz sits in seats reserved for the Pistorius family.
When asked to leave he mouths an obscenity at the accused’s sister Aimee before being escorted out by police.
Schulz, who’s supporting a friend who might have been called to testify about a barroom argument with Pistorius, denies this saying Aimee is a liar like her brother.