03-10-2013, 04:23 PM
Pretoria – The police have responded to media reports regarding paralympian Oscar Pistorius’s forensic investigators and ballistic experts visiting his residence.
“The residence of Mr Pistorius is no longer a crime scene and was handed back to him long ago,†said Lieutenant General Solomon Makgale in a statement on Thursday.
Pistorius stands accused of shooting and killing his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp at his home in Silverwood Estate on 14 February.
Mkgale explained that the experts were at his residence on 30 September 2013 after making prior arrangements with the police investigating team.
“The purpose of this visit was to enable them to have access to the toilet door and to reconstruct the crime scene. This has been the second time that this has been done during the presence of our investigating team.
“The investigating officer and a ballistic expert from SAPS were present during the examination of the toilet door and the door was never handed over to them. They had controlled access to the toilet door to enable them to conduct their own independent examination,†said Mokgale.
He said Pistorius’s forensic team did not take any evidence from the SAPS storage facilities nor did they have any evidence in their sole possession at any time. No other physical evidence were examined by the forensic investigators.
In terms of South African Law, the state is obliged to make any exhibit or evidence in its possession available to an accused or defence council, upon request, in order for the accused to prepare for his/her defence. – SAnews.gov.za
“The residence of Mr Pistorius is no longer a crime scene and was handed back to him long ago,†said Lieutenant General Solomon Makgale in a statement on Thursday.
Pistorius stands accused of shooting and killing his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp at his home in Silverwood Estate on 14 February.
Mkgale explained that the experts were at his residence on 30 September 2013 after making prior arrangements with the police investigating team.
“The purpose of this visit was to enable them to have access to the toilet door and to reconstruct the crime scene. This has been the second time that this has been done during the presence of our investigating team.
“The investigating officer and a ballistic expert from SAPS were present during the examination of the toilet door and the door was never handed over to them. They had controlled access to the toilet door to enable them to conduct their own independent examination,†said Mokgale.
He said Pistorius’s forensic team did not take any evidence from the SAPS storage facilities nor did they have any evidence in their sole possession at any time. No other physical evidence were examined by the forensic investigators.
In terms of South African Law, the state is obliged to make any exhibit or evidence in its possession available to an accused or defence council, upon request, in order for the accused to prepare for his/her defence. – SAnews.gov.za