South African Paralympic
athlete Oscar Pistorius has been arrested over the fatal shooting of his
girlfriend at his home in Pretoria.
As he heads to Court to
Know His Fate, as the Truth about what really happened this Valentine’s Day Morning
remain unknown.
South African Olympic and Paralympic athlete Oscar Pistorius is
due in court to face a murder charge after his girlfriend, model Reeva
Steenkamp, was shot and killed at his home near Pretoria.
After spending a night in a police station, he is scheduled to
appear at the magistrates’ court in the city.
There a decision will be taken on whether he should be granted
bail.
Prosecutors will argue that Mr. Pistorius should remain in custody.
The BBC, says it is likely that some details of both the case
against the 26-year-old, and his defence, will be revealed.
Forensic experts are expected to continue examining the house in
the upmarket Silver Woods gated community on the outskirts of South Africa's
administrative capital where Ms Steenkamp, 29, died.
Correspondents say the athlete's arrest has stunned the country
where he is considered a national hero.
He made history in London last year when he became the first
double-amputee track athlete to compete in the Olympic games.
He is known as the "blade runner" because of the
carbon fibre prosthetic blades he races in. He was born without a fibula in
both legs and had his legs amputated below the knee before his first birthday.
Police were called to his home in the early hours of Thursday
morning.
They found paramedics treating a 29-year-old woman with four
gunshot wounds to the head and upper body. She died at the scene, and officers
recovered a 9mm pistol.
Early reports suggested Mr Pistorius might have mistaken his
girlfriend for an intruder.
Police say neighbours heard screaming and shouting around the
time of the shooting, and that they had been called to investigate incidents of
a domestic nature at the same house in the past.
Mr Pistorius dominated in his category at successive Paralympic
Games, but in 2008 he won a legal battle over his blades - which critics said
gave him an unfair advantage - with the International Association of Athletics
Federations (IAAF) for the right to compete in able-bodied competitions.
He reached the 400m semi-finals in the London 2012 Olympics. At
the Paralympics he won silver in the T44 200m, gold in the 4x100 relay and gold
in the T44 400m, setting a Paralympic record.
South Africa has one of the highest rates of crime in the world
and many residents keep weapons to protect themselves against intruders.
But gun ownership is strictly regulated and it is not easy to
obtain a licence.
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