South Africa's National Prosecuting Authority revealed their intention to file an appeal to counter the verdict and sentence that Judge Thozokile Masipa delivered for the Oscar Pistorius murder case last month. Believing that the judge erred in her judgment, the NPA saw it fit to challenge Masipa's final decision for the trial.
On Tuesday, the NPA finally filed the application for appeal of the case.
"The appeal on conviction is based on the question of law," The Citizen reported NPA spokesman Nathi Mncube as saying in a statement. "The merits of the NPA's argument in this regard are contained in the papers that were filed with the registrar of the North Gauteng High Court today."
"This means that the matter is now officially sub judice and consequently the NPA will not be able to discuss the matter publicly until judgment is delivered by the court," Mncube continued.
The victim's uncle, Michael Steenkamp agreed with the NPA's plan, telling AFP, "If it's in the interest of society... then I think they should go forward if they think it's correct."
Pistorius, who had been initially brought to court on a premeditated murder charge, was instead sentenced to five years in prison for culpable homicide. He was also given a three-year suspended sentence for firing a gun at a crowded place. The Blade Runner, who has been serving his sentence since October 21, can then file for house arrest after 10 months.
He previously admitted to fatally shooting his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp through a bathroom door on Valentines' Day last year, but not to killing her in cold blood.
Despite their disappointment at Judge Masipa for clearing the Paralympian of murder, Reeva's mother, June, was still "happy with the sentence." For her, five years in prison was "sufficient."
Mrs. Steenkamp opened up about the Oscar Pistorius murder case in an interview with The Guardian recently.
"I had a lot of trust in her, but I think she did make a mistake," she said, talking about Judge Masipa.
Mrs. Steenkamp also admitted to The Guardian that Pistorius did try to reach out to them at some point during the trial but she and her husband Barry "weren't ready to speak to him."
"What can he say?" She said. "Sorry is not enough. What can he say and what would we want to talk to him about? I don't know."
She does know, however, that "one day that confrontation will come. Altercation? Maybe. Violence? No, I don't think so. But that day has to come."
The NPA is currently waiting for the decision on their appeal regarding Oscar Pistorius' murder case.
