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CAPE Town — The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has announced their plan to appeal the conviction and sentencing of Oscar Pistorius, according to reports. According to Eyewitness News the NPA made the announcement on Monday afternoon. Journalist Alex Eliseev quoted the NPA saying their prosecutors are preparing the necessary papers in order to be able to file within the next few days.
Sapa reported that NPA spokesperson Nathi Mncube said in a statement: “The appeal on conviction is based on the question of law.
“The merits and the demerits of the NPA’s argument in this regard will become evident when we file papers for leave to appeal.”
Last Tuesday Pistorius was sentenced to five years in prison for the culpable homicide killing of his girlfriend, law graduate and model Reeva Steenkamp.
For discharging a firearm at Tasha’s restaurant in January 2013, he was sentenced to three years’ jail, suspended for five years.
The sentences would run concurrently, Judge Thokozile Masipa ruled.
Mncube said that prosecutor Gerrie Nel and Advocate Andrea Johnson had been studying the judgment, doing research and consulting legal experts to establish if there were sufficient grounds to lodge appeals.
“The prosecutors are now preparing the necessary papers in order to be able to file within the next few days.”
On Sunday the NPA denied a report that the appeal against Pistorius’s conviction and sentence will start next month.
“It’s not true,” Mncube said at the time.
He denied a Sunday Times report that State prosecutor Gerrie Nel would discuss the matter with National Director of Public Prosecutions Mxolisi Nxasana on Monday.
Nxasana would reportedly decide whether to appeal.
According to the report, the appeal process was scheduled to start on 3 November. — News24.
Online Reporter