State finishes Pistorius cross-examination

Pistorius is charged with murdering his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp in his Pretoria townhouse on February 14 last year.

He shot her through a locked toilet door. He claims he mistook her for an intruder and fired the four shots by accident.

Looking sternly at Pistorius, he said the court would find that Steenkamp had eaten three hours prior to being shot dead. Pistorius had told the court the couple had eaten hours before.

The arguments that a neighbour claimed to have heard prior to the shootings happened as Steenkamp was eating.

The “blood-curdling” screams that several neighbours claimed to have heard came from Steenkamp. Pistorius had testified that he was the one who was screaming as he tried to break down the door, trying to reach Steenkamp.

Pistorius fired four shots through the locked toilet door knowing that Steenkamp was behind it, he said.

Pistorius had said he mistook her for an intruder.

Nel said Steenkamp had run to the toilet, and Pistorius armed himself with the sole purpose of killing her. Pistorius had testified he did not see Steenkamp heading to the toilet. He claimed to have told her to call the police.

The reason for Pistorius being so emotional was due to him being overcome by what he had done, Nel said.

Earlier, Nel questioned Pistorius on who should take the blame for killing Steenkamp.

“Should we blame Reeva for not telling you she was going to the toilet?” Nel asked.

“No, my lady,” Pistorius answered.

Nel then asked whether government should be blamed for Steenkamp’s death.

When court adjourned for tea, Pistorius’s sister Aimee walked up to the witness-box where she hugged her brother.

He smiled at her and wiped an eye using his fingers.

– Sapa