Witness heard non-stop shouts before shooting
Source: Agencies |
February 21, 2013, Thursday
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A witness heard "non-stop shouting" in the home of South African athletics star Oscar Pistorius shortly before his girlfriend was shot dead, the detective leading the murder investigation said yesterday.
Warrant officer Hilton Botha, a detective with 24 years on the force, also told the Pretoria magistrates court in a bail hearing that police had found two containers of testosterone and needles in Pistorius' bedroom.
The athlete's defense team disputed the finding.
Pistorius, a double amputee dubbed "Blade Runner" because of his carbon fibre racing blades, sobbed uncontrollably as Botha presented his testimony about the death of Reeva Steenkamp, 29.
The law graduate and model was in the toilet of the athlete's home when she was shot dead in the early hours of Valentine's Day. She was hit in the head, arm and hip.
"One of our witnesses heard a fight, two people talking loudly at each other ... from two in the morning to three," Botha told the court.
Pistorius' first call after the incident was to the manager of his high security complex at 3:19am, Botha said.
In an affidavit delivered on Tuesday, Pistorius said he woke in the middle of the night and thought an intruder had climbed through his bathroom window and entered the adjoining toilet.
The 26-year-old said he grabbed a 9-mm pistol from under his bed and went into the bathroom.
Pistorius then described how he fired into the locked toilet door in a blind panic in the mistaken belief the intruder was lurking inside.
Botha, who arrived on the scene an hour after the shooting, challenged Pistorius' affidavit. "I believe he knew she was in the bathroom and he shot four shots through the door," the detective said, adding the angle at which the rounds were fired suggested they were aimed at somebody on the toilet.
Pistorius had said he moved into the bathroom on his stumps - the reason he felt so vulnerable - but Botha said the shots went in a "top to bottom" trajectory, suggesting Pistorius was wearing his artificial legs when he pulled the trigger.
One of the spent rounds was recovered from the toilet bowl, Botha said.
After vigorous questioning from Pistorius' defense team, Botha estimated the distance between the witnesses and Pistorius' home at 300 meters.
Lead defense counsel Barry Roux also disputed Botha's reference to "testosterone," saying the substance was a legitimate herbal remedy called "testo-composutim co-enzyme."
After four hours of testimony, the hearing was adjourned until today. The hearing is expected to conclude this week.
Warrant officer Hilton Botha, a detective with 24 years on the force, also told the Pretoria magistrates court in a bail hearing that police had found two containers of testosterone and needles in Pistorius' bedroom.
The athlete's defense team disputed the finding.
Pistorius, a double amputee dubbed "Blade Runner" because of his carbon fibre racing blades, sobbed uncontrollably as Botha presented his testimony about the death of Reeva Steenkamp, 29.
The law graduate and model was in the toilet of the athlete's home when she was shot dead in the early hours of Valentine's Day. She was hit in the head, arm and hip.
"One of our witnesses heard a fight, two people talking loudly at each other ... from two in the morning to three," Botha told the court.
Pistorius' first call after the incident was to the manager of his high security complex at 3:19am, Botha said.
In an affidavit delivered on Tuesday, Pistorius said he woke in the middle of the night and thought an intruder had climbed through his bathroom window and entered the adjoining toilet.
The 26-year-old said he grabbed a 9-mm pistol from under his bed and went into the bathroom.
Pistorius then described how he fired into the locked toilet door in a blind panic in the mistaken belief the intruder was lurking inside.
Botha, who arrived on the scene an hour after the shooting, challenged Pistorius' affidavit. "I believe he knew she was in the bathroom and he shot four shots through the door," the detective said, adding the angle at which the rounds were fired suggested they were aimed at somebody on the toilet.
Pistorius had said he moved into the bathroom on his stumps - the reason he felt so vulnerable - but Botha said the shots went in a "top to bottom" trajectory, suggesting Pistorius was wearing his artificial legs when he pulled the trigger.
One of the spent rounds was recovered from the toilet bowl, Botha said.
After vigorous questioning from Pistorius' defense team, Botha estimated the distance between the witnesses and Pistorius' home at 300 meters.
Lead defense counsel Barry Roux also disputed Botha's reference to "testosterone," saying the substance was a legitimate herbal remedy called "testo-composutim co-enzyme."
After four hours of testimony, the hearing was adjourned until today. The hearing is expected to conclude this week.
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