/ 22 March 2013

Tentative court date set for Pistorius bail conditions

Tentative Court Date Set For Pistorius Bail Conditions

The date proposed was Thursday, March 28, but this still needed to be finalised, NPA spokesperson Medupe Simasiku said on Friday.

"The date is not yet confirmed. That is the proposal that has been submitted to the court and we are still awaiting the decision of the court."

The court in which the hearing would take place in was also not decided.

Pistorius shot and killed his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp in his Pretoria home on Valentine's Day. In an affidavit submitted as part of his bail application, Pistorius said he thought he was shooting at an intruder through a closed bathroom door.

He was granted R1-million bail on February 22. He was allowed to pay an initial instalment of R100 000, with the balance due by March 1.

Earlier this month Pistorius filed an appeal against his bail conditions, challenging them as unwarranted and unfair. His lawyers sought to have several of his bail conditions scrapped or altered.

In papers before the North Gauteng High Court, his lawyers argued that Pistorius should be able to travel, given that magistrate Desmond Nair found during his bail application that he was not a flight risk.

They reportedly argued he should be able to travel if given permission from his case investigating officer.

Pistorius's legal team also contended it should not be necessary for him to report to the Brooklyn police station in Pretoria.

Drug and alcohol testing
?They also sought an end to being supervised by a probation officer and submitting to compulsory drug and alcohol testing. "There is no desire by the appellant to use any prohibited substance or alcohol, but the condition imposed is not warranted or substantiated by facts," the application reportedly read.

Pistorius would also ask the court to allow him to return to his Pretoria home where he shot his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine's Day.

His legal team said it was unfair to place a "blanket order" which did not allow him to talk to the residents within the security complex.

Pistorius's next court appearance is on June 4. – Sapa