SA court doubles Pistorius jail sentence

JOHANNESBURG: A South African appeals court increased Paralympic champion Oscar Pistorius’ sentence for murdering his girlfriend to 13 years and five months on Friday, marking a victory for prosecutors in a case that shocked the world.
The Supreme Court of Appeal in Bloemfontein more than doubled his original sentence of six years after the state argued that it was unduly lenient. Pistorius, 31, was not in court for the hearing.
Prosecutors argued earlier this month that Oscar Pistorius failed to show genuine remorse after killing his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.
“One of the essential ingredients of a balanced sentence is that it must reflect the seriousness of the offence,” Andrea Johnson, of the National Prosecution Authority, had told the court. Pistorius’ lawyer Barry Roux mounted a strong defence of the judge who handed down the six-year sentence, saying she took into account his claim that he believed he was shooting an intruder.