MOSCOW, October 27 (RIA Novosti) — South African state prosecutors announced Monday that they will appeal Oscar Pistorius’ verdict and sentence, NBC News reported.
“Prosecutors are now preparing the necessary papers in order to be able to file within the next few days,” the National Prosecuting Authority told local media.
Despite being convicted of culpable homicide, the athlete may spend less than a year of his five year sentence in prison.
Pistorius, a South African Paralympic champion, shot and killed his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp at his home in Pretoria in February 2013. He claimed that the shooting was accidental, and that he had mistaken Steenkamp for an intruder.
On February 19, 2013, a Pretoria prosecutor charged Pistorius with premeditated murder. Later in February, the athlete was released on bail for one million South African rand ($330,000).
In September, Pistorius was found guilty of culpable homicide, but cleared of the charge of premeditated murder. Many in the country found the ruling by Judge Thokozile Masipa to have been unjust.
Pistorius is a double-amputee sprinter and a six-time Paralympic champion who has also taken part in competitions for able-bodied runners. He won a silver medal in the 4x400 meter relay at the 2011 world championships.
