/ 12 March 2014

Mock toilet, 200km/h speeding case brought to Pistorius trial

Mock Toilet, 200km/h Speeding Case Brought To Pistorius Trial

Oscar Pistorius drove at over 200km/h on a trip to the Vaal two years ago, the high court in Pretoria heard on Wednesday.

Pistorius is on trial for the murder of his girlfriend, model and law graduate Reeva Steenkamp, on February 14 last year.

As Pistorius drove, his friend Darren Fresco took a picture of the speedometer with his cellphone, Fresco said to questioning by prosecutor Gerrie Nel.

"How fast were you going?" Nel asked.

Fresco, an IT network engineer with collar-length hair, paused for several seconds.

"Over 200," he said, without looking at Pistorius, who was passing notes to his legal team.

Fresco, Pistorius and the athlete's then girlfriend Samantha Taylor drove to the Vaal in September 2012 to spend a day with friends. On the way back Fresco drove, also speeding, at one point going 260km/h.

Nel asked Fresco if Pistorius asked him to slow down or complained about the speed he was going.

"No, he did not," said Fresco.

Gun between his legs
During the trip, Pistorius sat with his gun between his legs. It was not in a holster, Fresco said.

The athlete is also charged with illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition, and two counts of discharging a firearm in public.

He allegedly fired a shot from a Glock pistol under a table at Tasha's restaurant in January 2013.

On September 30 2012 he allegedly shot through the open sunroof of a car with his 9mm pistol while driving with friends in Modderfontein.

Earlier, a senior police officer at the forensic science laboratory took the stand.

Lieutenant colonel Johannes Vermeulen is the commander of the material analysis sub-section, he said to questions from Nel.

Cricket bat
He was expected to testify about the cricket bat Pistorius used to bash open the door of his toilet, and about the door itself, through which he shot Steenkamp.

He told the court he had more than 29 years of experience in scientific analysis and had completed almost 1 400 forensic investigations.

Meanwhile, a mock-up toilet cubicle was set up in the court. The white square cubicle with a waist-high wall has a brown wooden door that looks like it has been repaired.

Speculation was that it could be the door through which Pistorius fired the shots that killed Steenkamp.

The cubicle was set up on the side of the court where the witness stand is. Two rectangular white stickers were visible on the door, one near the top and the other above the door handle.

Barry Roux, for Pistorius, and the Olympian and Paralympian stood behind the construction with their arms folded, talking before proceedings started.

Pistorius covered his mouth as he spoke. The accused, dressed in a black suit, had entered the court building without his usual entourage to escort him in.

Huddled around
He stood in the dock chatting to his lawyer Kenny Oldwage. Pistorius family members, including his uncle Arnold Pistorius, started arriving after 9.10am.

Oldwage and Roux then huddled in front of the door, talking and then called other members of their legal team over. – Sapa