Oscar Pistorius trial will run until May 16

Oscar Pistorius murder trial will now run until the middle of May after both sides agreed to an extension.

The South African Paralympic champion trial in Pretoria has already overrun its initial timeframe with the prosecution not yet completing its case.

Oscar Pistorius, 27, denies intentionally shooting his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine’s Day in 2013, saying he mistook her for an intruder.

Last week the athlete said he would sell his home to fund legal costs.

The court in Guateng province said that the trial would continue until 4 April, then adjourn for one week before resuming until May 16.

The trial will enter its fourth week on Monday, with five more witnesses expected to be called by the prosecution.

The court had been adjourned to allow the defense team to finish preparing its case.

The trial was initially estimated to have taken three weeks in total, but so far that deadline has passed with only 18 witnesses out of a possible 107 have been heard.

There has been intense media interest in the case in South Africa and beyond because of Oscar Pistorius’ status as a national sporting hero.

Double amputee Oscar Pistorius holds six Paralympic medals and also competed in the 2012 Olympic Games.