Oscar Pistorius sentencing: Prosecutors to appeal against verdict

Prosecutors are going to appeal against the conviction and sentence given to South African athlete Oscar Pistorius for killing his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.

Last week, Oscar Pistorius, 27, began serving a five year prison sentence for the culpable homicide of Reeva Steenkamp, although he could be out in 10 months.

The double-amputee Olympic sprinter was cleared of murder.

“The appeal on conviction is based on the question of law,” the national prosecuting spokesman said.

Oscar Pistorius’ family said that he will not appeal.

The athlete was also given a three-year suspended sentence for firing a gun in a restaurant.

“The prosecutors are now preparing the necessary papers in order to be able to file within the next few days,” Nathi Mncube from the National Prosecuting Authority said in a statement.

Oscar Pistorius was charged by the prosecution with the pre-meditated murder of Reeva Steenkamp, a model and law graduate.

He was acquitted of this and the lesser murder charge of dolus eventualis.

In South African law, this charge – also known as common-law murder – applies if the accused knew they might kill someone but still went ahead with their course of action.

The judge’s critics have argued that dolus eventualis includes the possibility of meaning to kill one person and ending up killing another.

Oscar Pistorius says he shot dead Reeva Steenkamp in the early hours of Valentine’s Day last year by mistake, fearing there was an intruder in the house.