|
 Pistorius was absolved of the murder of his girlfriend Reeva
Steenkamp at the end of a seven-month trial after the state failed
to convince judge Thokozile Masipa of Pistorius' intent to kill when
he fired through a locked toilet door at his luxury Pretoria home,
leading to a conviction for negligent killing and a five-year jail
term.
"Today, we announce that the NPA will file the application for leave
to appeal both the conviction and sentence," the National
Prosecuting Authority said in a statement on Tuesday.
"The merits of the NPA’s argument in this regard are contained in
the papers that were filed with the registrar of the North Gauteng
High Court today."
The Olympic and Paralympic athlete, whose lower legs were amputated
as a baby, killed Steenkamp on Valentine's Day last year by firing
four 9mm rounds into the door of a toilet cubicle, in what he said
was the mistaken belief an intruder was hiding behind it.
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Judge Masipa's decision to rule out murder was criticized by legal
professionals and the Women's League of the African National
Congress (ANC) as an erroneous interpretation of the law.
"We further announce, as we have indicated before, the appeal on
conviction is based on a question of law," NPA spokesman Nathi Ncube
told PowerFM radio.
(Reporting by Xola Potelwa; Editing by Janet Lawrence)
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