Oscar denies firearm, ammunition charge
Murder accused Oscar Pistorius denied on Tuesday that he owned a .38 calibre firearm or ammunition as stated in the charge sheet.
FILE PICTURE: Paralympian Oscar Pistorius is seen at the high court in Pretoria on Monday, 7 April 2014. The athlete is on trial for the murder of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp whom he shot dead through a locked toilet door at his Pretoria home on Valentine’s Day last year. He claims he mistook her for an intruder. Picture: Deaan Vivier/Media24/Pool
“I never owned a .38 calibre firearm. I never owned .38 ammunition,” he told the High Court in Pretoria.
He said the firearm and ammunition belonged to his father.
“My understanding of the law is that you are allowed to give your ammunition to somebody for safe keeping,” he said.
He said he never intended using the ammunition.
The athlete is on trial for the murder of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, who was shot through the locked toilet door of his Pretoria home on February 14 last year.
He says he had mistaken her for an intruder. He has pleaded not guilty and in his plea statement denied he had argued with her shortly before the shooting.
He also faces two charges related to contravening the Firearms Control Act, to which he has denied guilt.
– Sapa
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