Judge Thokozile Masipa’s  rejected the State’s bid for leave to appeal the six-year jail sentence for murder she eventually  imposed on Pistorius.

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It was Judge Thokozile Masipa who found Oscar Pistorius guilty of culpable homicide and sent him to jail for five year  years.

The Appeal Court overturned that last December and found the legless athlete guilty of murder – giving rise to the  heavier sentence she imposed.

She pointed out that time that there was not a shred of evidence that Pistorius knew when he was firing through a toilet door that his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp was on the other side.

Pistorius’s defence has been that he believed he was shooting at an intruder.

Masipa said in the Pretoria High Court today (Friday) that she’s  not persuaded that there are reasonable prospects of success for an appeal. She dismissed with costs the application for leave to appeal.

Earlier, Barry Roux, for Pistorius, argued that the State was merely dragging out legal processes and subjecting the former Paralympian to continued uncertainty.

Prosecutor Gerrie Nel argued that deviating from the prescribed 15-year minimum sentence for murder induces a sense of shock.

The post Prosecution loses bid to get an even tougher sentence against Pistorius appeared first on Jean-Jacques Cornish.

The State  believes the sentence is an injustice and has the potential to bring the administration of justice into disrepute.

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On July 6, Judge Thokozile Masipa handed the 29-year-old Paralympic gold athlete  a six-year sentence for the murder of Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine’s Day 2013.

The prescribed minimum custodial sentence for murder is 15 years under South African law,

However  Masipa determined Oscar Pistorius should receive a shorter jail term because of mitigating factors such as his rehabilitation

In her sentencing remarks, she referred to Pistorius as a fallen hero who believed an intruder was behind the door. There was not a shred of evidence he’s knowingly fired at his  model and law graduate, lover

Pistorius’ defence team confirmed the athlete nicknamed blade runner would not appeal his sentence.

His sister Aimee thanked the judge in an interview shortly after he was returned to prison and said she was grateful for setting out her belief that  Steenkamp’s killing was not an act of gender-based violence.

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