/ 22 January 2014

Pistorius in settlement talks with Steenkamp’s family

Pistorius In Settlement Talks With Steenkamp's Family

Lawyers of Paralympian and Olympian Oscar Pistorius are in talks with the parents of slain Reeva Steenkamp, Barry and June Steenkamp, over an alleged settlement of between R2-million and R3-million, according to iafrica.com on Wednesday.

Pistorius was charged with the murder of his girlfriend, Steenkamp, after she was shot dead in his Pretoria home on February 14 2013.

Advocate Dup de Bruyn, representing the Steenkamps, "told the Beeld newspaper that negotiations were at a sensitive stage and did not want to comment any further. 

"He also refused to comment on recent media reports that the couple were claiming between R2-million and R3-million in compensation from Pistorius," stated the website.

Two additional counts
Meanwhile, eNCA reported in October 2013 that Pistorius will most likely be charged with two additional counts of discharging a firearm in public.

According to the news channel, Pistorius's legal team failed in its bid to stop the charges being added to Pistorius's charge sheet.

His lawyers reportedly argued that the charges should not be added because the incidents occurred outside the jurisdiction of the high court in Pretoria.

But newly appointed national director of public prosecutions Mxolisi Nxasana reportedly rejected the arguments. The National Prosecuting Authority confirmed this at the time.

His trial has been set down for two weeks in March, and the state will call 107 witnesses.

Pistorius has maintained his innocence, arguing that he shot Steenkamp accidentally, acting on the assumption that she was an intruder.