Oscar Pistorius back in court for bail hearing

Oscar Pistorius is due back in court in Pretoria today for a bail hearing that may reveal further details of the murder case against him.

Prosecutors plan to pursue a charge of premeditated murder against Oscar Pistorius, a charge he is expected to deny.

His girlfriend, model Reeva Steenkamp, was shot dead at his home on Thursday. Police later recovered a hand gun.

Reeva Steenkamp is due to be cremated at a private ceremony in Port Elizabeth later.

Oscar Pistorius’s appearance in court will be the first since he broke down and wept at an initial hearing on Friday.

Prosecutors are expected to outline their evidence against Oscar Pistorius to support their argument that he should be denied bail before his trial begins.

The athlete is also likely to enter a plea for the first time.

Oscar Pistorius, who has both legs amputated below the knee, was held at a local police station over the weekend, and has not spoken publicly about Reeva Steenkamp’s death.

But a statement released by Oscar Pistorius’s family suggests he will deny the charges being prepared against him.

“The alleged murder is disputed in the strongest terms,” it said.

Meanwhile the family of Reeva Steenkamp has spoken of its grief in a newspaper interview published on Monday.

Speaking to the Times of South Africa, her mother June Steenkamp said: “All we want are answers… answers as to why this had to happen, why our beautiful daughter had to die like this.”

The bail hearing is not expected to be televised after lawyers agreed there should be “no live recording” of proceedings.

The case has aroused huge interest both in South Africa, where Oscar Pistorius is regarded as a national hero, and around the world.

Oscar Pistorius rose to fame as one of the most recognizable faces of Paralympic sport, and the first double-amputee track athlete to race in the Olympics.