Pistorius sentenced to five years in jail for murdering Steenkamp

PistoriusJohannesburg, Oct 21 : Paralympic athlete Oscar Pistorius has been sentenced to five years in jail for shooting his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp dead.

Judge Thokozile Masipa pronounced her ruling on Tuesday in Pistorius' murder trial. Pistorius had shot Steenkamp dead on Valentines Day last year and had maintained that he mistook her for an intruder in his Pretoria home.

The high-profile seven-month trial finally concluded with Pistorius being jailed for five years for culpable homicide.

The double amputee athlete had been earlier cleared of premeditated murder with the judge charging Pistorius of culpable homicide .

The defence had demanded that Pistorius be subjected to house arrest on account of his disability but prosecutor Gerrie Nel had argued for a minimum ten years imprisonment, saying that it would be 'shockingly disproportionate' if anything less was given.

Nel is currently dealing with requirements related to seizing Pistorius' firearm licence. (ANI)