Oscar Pistorius’ family hit back on Friday at the two brothers who claimed in a newly published book that Pistorius hit Reeva Steenkamp with a cricket bat before shooting and killing her.
Calling the claims an “attention-seeking‚ money-making exercise” by two brothers “with detective fantasies”‚ the family said in a statement that the widespread media coverage of the allegations has prompted them to respond.
The Daily Maverick reported on Wednesday that brothers Calvin and Thomas Mollett claim in their book that two oval abrasions on Steenkamp’s back matched Pistorius’ cricket bat.
Pistorius fired four shots through the locked door of the toilet cubicle in his Pretoria home on February 14 2013‚ killing his girlfriend. According to testimony in court‚ he broke open the door with the cricket bat to reach the wounded Steenkamp.
The brothers claimed Pistorius chased Steenkamp into the toilet with the bat.
“Oscar went after her with a cricket bat – infuriated that she locked herself away from him – and to scare and frighten her‚ he hit the door with the cricket bat about 2-3 times and also hit the steel plate against the bathtub wall‚” the Molletts allege.
The family said the Molletts have resurrected “outrageous allegations” of domestic violence that is not supported by any evidence.
“Their so-called investigation is based on what they claim to be ‘new’ evidence. There is no new evidence. Every photograph was presented and every shred of evidence was dissected in the intensive 43-day trial‚” the Pistorius family said.
“It is totally absurd to suggest that the State Prosecutor – and his high-powered team – who were so intent on proving their premeditated murder theory‚ would have overlooked any evidence that could prove that Oscar used his cricket bat for anything other than bashing open the door.
“It is of course also highly convenient for these two armchair sleuths to manufacture sensational nonsense theories without having to prove them in a court of law or to expose them to cross-examination.
“Anybody with an iota of understanding of the actual facts of this case‚ as tested by a court of law‚ will be able to point out the gaping holes in their so-called theories.”
The Molletts claimed that the bruises on Steenkamp’s body were overlooked or unexplained in the pathologist’s report and testimony.
But Professor Gert Saayman‚ the pathologist who conducted the autopsy on Steenkamp’s body‚ testified during the trial that he believed the bruises on her body could be explained by the damage the bullets did inside her body.
He also said the striations on the bruises as well as bruising to her one nipple could be explained by the tank top that she wore when she went to bed that night.
The Supreme Court of Appeal last year overturned Pistorius’ culpable homicide conviction and instead found him guilty of murder. He is set to return to the Pretoria High Court for sentencing proceedings in June.
Oscar did not 'bash' Reeva with a bat - Pistorius family
Calling the claims an “attention-seeking‚ money-making exercise” by two brothers “with detective fantasies”‚ the family said in a statement that the widespread media coverage of the allegations has prompted them to respond.
The Daily Maverick reported on Wednesday that brothers Calvin and Thomas Mollett claim in their book that two oval abrasions on Steenkamp’s back matched Pistorius’ cricket bat.
Pistorius fired four shots through the locked door of the toilet cubicle in his Pretoria home on February 14 2013‚ killing his girlfriend. According to testimony in court‚ he broke open the door with the cricket bat to reach the wounded Steenkamp.
The brothers claimed Pistorius chased Steenkamp into the toilet with the bat.
“Oscar went after her with a cricket bat – infuriated that she locked herself away from him – and to scare and frighten her‚ he hit the door with the cricket bat about 2-3 times and also hit the steel plate against the bathtub wall‚” the Molletts allege.
The family said the Molletts have resurrected “outrageous allegations” of domestic violence that is not supported by any evidence.
“Their so-called investigation is based on what they claim to be ‘new’ evidence. There is no new evidence. Every photograph was presented and every shred of evidence was dissected in the intensive 43-day trial‚” the Pistorius family said.
“It is totally absurd to suggest that the State Prosecutor – and his high-powered team – who were so intent on proving their premeditated murder theory‚ would have overlooked any evidence that could prove that Oscar used his cricket bat for anything other than bashing open the door.
“It is of course also highly convenient for these two armchair sleuths to manufacture sensational nonsense theories without having to prove them in a court of law or to expose them to cross-examination.
“Anybody with an iota of understanding of the actual facts of this case‚ as tested by a court of law‚ will be able to point out the gaping holes in their so-called theories.”
The Molletts claimed that the bruises on Steenkamp’s body were overlooked or unexplained in the pathologist’s report and testimony.
But Professor Gert Saayman‚ the pathologist who conducted the autopsy on Steenkamp’s body‚ testified during the trial that he believed the bruises on her body could be explained by the damage the bullets did inside her body.
He also said the striations on the bruises as well as bruising to her one nipple could be explained by the tank top that she wore when she went to bed that night.
The Supreme Court of Appeal last year overturned Pistorius’ culpable homicide conviction and instead found him guilty of murder. He is set to return to the Pretoria High Court for sentencing proceedings in June.
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