OPTrial: Oscar walks away with lesser sentence

Judgement was handed down in the Oscar Pistorius case on Friday, with Judge Thokozile Mapisa finding Pistorius not guilty of murder but culpable homicide. Here’s how ordinary South Africans’ reacted to the trial. BHEKI SIMELANE. 

Eric LangaEric Langa, 30, unemployed, Chiawelo
Oscar is a white man, he will definitely walk free or will just be slapped with a lesser sentence which will see him walk free in a few years time. This country’s laws favors the rich and white. We have seen it happen many times before. Our criminal justice system favors people with money. If, however he does walk free or is found guilty of an offence less than murder, then the rights of women in this country will have been dealt a fierce blow.

Lettie ShabalalaLettie Shabalala, 27, hair stylist, Kwa-Zulu Natal
I have been following the Oscar Pistorius case even though not consistently. I think the killing of any woman by their men is wrong. The killing of women happen everyday in this country, let alone on valentines day. Should the Judge exonerate Oscar on the murder charge that will mean more men will get away with the murder of their partners.

Trust NdlovuTrust Ndlovu, 30, barista, Berea
Mr Pistorius was not supposed to have killed Reeva. He should have walked away when he saw that the situation was getting out of control but he chose to fight and now loo where his fight has landed him. The man deserves a life sentence for Reeva’s murder. When will South African men ever learn to love their women and stop the abuse? The country’s criminal justice system has been put in the spotlight and it must prove that it cares about the rights of women.

 Melba RamotseMelba Ramotse, 28, sales executive, Pretoria
Honestly I am disappointed with reports that the judge could not find Oscar guilty of the murder charge. It’s such a sad thing to have happened to anyone, I mean Reeva’s senseless murder. Oscar killed a person, the judge can alter the charges to something they call culpable homicide but it will not change the facts. Oscar himself knows this but it will eat him for the rest of his life. He killed Reeva and ought to pay the ultimate price for that. He is guilty of the intentional murder of Reeva. I do not buy his version that he thought he was being attacked. 

Tsepo ThelaneTsepo Thelane, 22, unemployed, North West
The killing of a human being by another can never be condoned as a good deed, its wrong. The only time I would regard our justice system as fair is when they lock Oscar up. It would be very sad if our justice system failed to put Oscar behind bars. Guns are kept in safes because they are not play things guns are not toys.  They are for protection, for use when one’s life is under threat and clearly Oscar’s life wasn’t under threat. If I was a judge I’d sentence Oscar to life imprisonment.

 

* Featured image via Wikimedia Commons.