Olympian Oscar Pistorius stands following his bail hearing in Pretoria, South Africa, on Feb. 19, 2013.
Olympic sprinter and murder suspect Oscar Pistorius does not pose a flight risk, according to South African Magistrate Desmond Nair, and was granted bail Friday in a case involving the shooting death of the runner's girlfriend.
"I come to the conclusion that the accused made a case to be granted bail," Nair told the packed courtroom, leading Pistorius' family and supporters to cheer, according to Reuters.
[PHOTOS: Pistorius Charged With Murder]
In setting bail at 1 million rand ($113,000), Nair agreed with Pistorius' defense team, who argued that the double-amputee sprinter was too famous to escape trial unnoticed and posed no threat to witnesses.
Nair stipulated that Pistorius should turn in his passports and firearms, stay away from his home and any potential witnesses, not drink alcohol, and report to a police station twice a week until his next court appearance on June 4.
Pistorius is accused of killing his 29-year-old girlfriend, model Reeva Steenkamp, in his apartment on Feb. 14. In an affidavit submitted to the court earlier this week, Pistorius' legal team admits that Pistorius fired the four shots that killed Steenkamp. But the affidavit claims he woke in the early morning after hearing noises, mistook Steenkamp for a burglar, and fired his gun through the apartment's closed bathroom door in self defense, accidently killing her.
The prosecution claims Pistorius and Steenkamp had an argument that led her to lock herself in the bathroom. The prosecution says Pistorius shot through the door knowing she was behind it and argues the 26-year-old sprinter should be charged with premeditated murder, which carries a life sentence.
The dramatic nature of the case and the couple's celebrity status in South Africa have captivated the country and much of the world. The impassioned pleas and controversial testimony of the four-day bail hearing did nothing but increase the drama.
[READ: Excerpts of Court Affadvit}
Pistorius' lawyer Barry Roux coaxed the case's lead investigator, Detective Warrant Officer Hilton Botha, into a shaky testimony Wednesday, in which Botha acknowledge several mistakes in police work and admitted he could not rule out Pistorius' version of the incident.
"The poor quality of evidence presented by chief investigating officer Botha exposed the disastrous shortcomings in the state's case," Roux said of Botha's testimony.
South African police then dismissed Botha from the case Thursday after it was revealed that Botha himself currently faces seven charges of attempted murder.
Police brigadier Neville Malila told reporters that Botha and two other officers fired on a minivan they were attempting to stop in 2011.
"Botha and two other policemen allegedly tried to stop a minibus taxi with seven people," Malila said, according to the New York Times. "We were informed yesterday that the charges will be reinstated" after being dropped, he said.
Botha has claimed that he attempted to aim at the wheels of the minivan.
Botha has been removed from his post, and replaced by the country's most senior detective, Lt. Gen Vinesh Moonoo.
More News:
Reader Comments (