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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday October 22, 2014
Oscar Pistorius jailed for five years for killing girlfriend OSCAR PISTORIUS has been sentenced to five years imprisonment for killing his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine’s Day last year. The Olympic and Paralympic runner was convicted of culpable homicide last month for shooting dead 29-year-old law graduate and model Reeva Steenkamp at his home in Pretoria. Judge Thokozile Masipa - only the second black woman to rise to the bench - stressed the difficulty of arriving at a decision that was “fair and just to society and to the accused”, but ordered that Pistorius serve a maximum of five years for the crime. His only reaction was to wipe his eyes before two police officers led him down to the holding cells beneath the High Court in the heart
Oscar Pistorius of the South African capital. Ninety minutes later, an armoured police vehicle carrying Pistorius - still dressed in dark suit, white shirt and black tie - left the building through a throng of reporters towards Pretoria Central Prison, where he is expected to serve his time. His family remained
calm throughout the sentencing. Pistorius was also sentenced to three years for unlawful discharge of a firearm in a restaurant, with that portion of the sentence suspended for five years. After the proceedings, one of Pistorius’s legal team, Roxanne Adams, told Sky News that Pistorius will serve just a sixth of his sentence in prison - a mere 10 months - before serving the rest of his sentence under house arrest. “Justice was served,” said the Steenkamp family lawyer, Dup de Bruyn, adding that it was “the right sentence” - but the victim’s mother put things in a different light. “There is no closure without Reeva, unless you can magic her back,” said
Windies cricketers won’t be banned from IPL - Chairman HYDERABAD, India (CMC) - The chairman of the Indian Premier League (IPL) Ranjib Biswal has said that West Indies cricketers would not face any ban from the tournament after pulling out midway their tour of India. Fears of the ban surfaced following the pull out which the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) says would cost them about US$65M in losses. A pay dispute with the West Indies Players Association (WIPA) forced the players to follow through with threats to quit the tour after the fourth oneday international in Dharamsala on Friday, with one more ODI, a Twenty20 and three Tests remaining. “It depends upon them (West Indies players). If they want to play IPL they are welcome,” Ranjib Biswal, the IPL chairman, said in Hyderabad, where the BC-
Indian Premier League (IPL) Chairman Ranjib Biswal CI’s emergency working Indies aborting the India committee met to discuss tour, but Biswal said the the fallout of West Indies issue of participation of pulling out of the India tour West Indies players had last week. not at all come up for disE S P N c r i c i n f o q u o t - cussion. ed a West Indies Cricket The IPL governing Board Director as calling council also announced for an IPL ban on the core that the next season of the group of the players, who IPL will be played between were instrumental in West April 9 and May 24.
June Steenkanp. Immediately after the proceedings finished, Pistorius was led away to the holding cells from where he will be taken to jail. The judge spoke for an hour about the circumstances of the crime, coming to the conclusion that “a non-custodial sentence would send the wrong message” in a nation where many believe that wealthy white citizens are able to buy their way to preferential treatment. She also spoke about the capability of the prison service to cater for Pistorius’s special needs, and of the athlete’s own personal resilience. Judge Masipa had cleared Pistorius of the more serious charge of murder, saying prosecutors had failed to prove his intent to kill when he fired four 9mm
rounds through the door of a toilet cubicle in what he said was the mistaken belief an intruder was lurking behind it. State prosecutor Gerrie Nel had said at the sentencing hearing last week that only 10 years imprisonment would satisfy the South African public, who would “lose their faith in the justice system” if Pistorius avoided jail. Defence lawyer Barry Roux had argued, however, that the double-amputee sprinter should be given community service because his sorrow and regret at killing the woman he loved was the worst punishment of all. He also said Pistorius, whose lower legs were amputated as a baby, would face particular difficulties in prison. Even the idea of Pistorius avoiding a custodial sentence inflamed public anger and fuelled a
Pistorius’ sister Aimee to say on Monday the shooting and trial had been damaging for everyone. “The guilt and ridicule that surround it as well as the exposure ... and just the heartache for both my brother, my family and of course the Steenkamp family,” she told South Africa’s ENCA television. The athlete’s uncle concluded that the family accepts the sentencing and asked for privacy following the verdict. “Oscar will embrace this opportunity to pay back to society,” he said in a brief statement to reporters. After the initial widespread acclaim for the fiveyear sentence, with Steenkamp’s family saying that “justice was done”, news that the athlete will serve so little jail time after a brutal killing outraged many.
WICB statement following emergency meeting of Board of Directors
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados – The West Indies Cricket Board regrets, and is deeply embarrassed by the premature and unfortunate end to the recent tour of India and once again expresses to the BCCI and all stakeholders - especially the cricket-loving public of the West Indies and India - sorrow for the events leading up to this development. The Board of Directors of the WICB, today (yesterday) met to formally embark on the process of a careful and systematic review of relevant events and have, initially, decided as follows: 1. To establish a Task Force, comprising critical stakeholders, to review the premature end of the tour to India. The Task Force will meet with all parties, including WIPA and the players, before reporting its findings to the Board of Directors. 2. To request a meeting with the BCCI. 3. To schedule an urgent debriefing with the West Indies Team Management Unit. 4. To assure Cricket South Africa that it will use its best endeavours to ensure a successful tour of South Africa as scheduled. The WICB is mindful of the related decisions of the BCCI Working Committee. In light of the longstanding good relationship between WICB and BCCI, which goes back decades and has produced numerous mutual benefits, the WICB looks forward to meeting with the BCCI to discuss these decisions which can have serious implications for West Indies cricket. WICB believes that a way can be found to repair the damage that has been caused and to ensure that similar events do not recur, with the focus being on the betterment of West Indies and world cricket. The WICB thanks all stakeholders, particularly the ICC, BCCI, their broadcasters and sponsors for their patience and understanding in this matter and looks forward to the continuation of a strong relationship between our Boards. The WICB is committed to acting as expeditiously as the situation allows, and will provide further information to the public as soon as it is appropriate to do so.