Pistorius 'Armed Himself And Planned To Kill'

The man prosecuting Oscar Pistorius has summed up his case by insisting the athlete committed premeditated murder involving a "deliberate weighing up of actions".

Prosecutor Gerrie Nel said the athlete acted with intention when he fired four shots through a toilet door at home, fatally wounding his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.

Ms Steenkamp was shot dead in February 2013

"We argue there was no reasonable reason as to why he fired four shots," said Mr Nel. "If you fire four shots into a small cubicle with 'black talon' ammunition, you cannot escape that.

"He never said to anybody that it was an accident. That he fired by mistake.

"We put it to the court that he followed the sound when he fired the first shot and heard her fall onto the toilet, he then angled the following shots that way. They were all angled at the toilet.

"If the accused argues that it was in self-defence, then he needs to explain why. What we have and what the court cannot lose sight of is, we have the accused armed."

Mr Nel explained how the pair exchanged messages, proving their romance had "ups and downs" and added: "10% of the messages suggested she was unhappy. And seven days later she was dead."

The athlete's lawyers were accused by Mr Nel of presenting a dishonest defence.

Prosecutor Gerrie Nel accused Pistorius of being a 'deceitful' witness

He said Pistorius' defence team argued the athlete acted in self-defence as he feared an intruder was in his house, but also suggested he shot Ms Steenkamp on Valentine's Day last year because he was "startled".

"It's two defences you can never reconcile," said Mr Nel, who went on to accuse the runner of being an "appalling, vague" and "deceitful" witness.

Pistorius was "more interested in defending his life" than the truth, Mr Nel said.

Mr Nel used Pistorius' career as an athlete as a metaphor for the trial, which the prosecution suggested was like a race with Pistorius holding the "baton of truth".

As Mr Nel summed up some 100 pages of evidence submitted to the court last week, Pistorious occasionally shook his head in disagreement and held his head in his hands.

Sky's Alex Crawford, reporting from the court in Pretoria, said: "It was like watching flashbacks from a horror film. Gerrie Nel picked up what he believed to be (Pistorius') most devastating moments in court.

"He drew a very ugly picture of Oscar Pistorius, the man and the personality."

Reeva's parents June and Barry Steenkamp listen to the hearing

Prosecution and defence lawyers will sum up their cases over the next two days before judge Thokozile Matilda Masipa reaches her verdict, expected in around two weeks' time.

Pistorius, 27, faces at least 25 years in prison if found guilty of premeditated murder. He could also be convicted on lesser charges, such as culpable homicide or murder without premeditation.

The prosecution says Pistorius intentionally shot Ms Steenkamp in anger after they quarrelled. His defence insists he fired by mistake, thinking an intruder was in the toilet and that Ms Steenkamp was in the bedroom.

Ms Steenkamp's parents have been in court for the closing speeches at the hearing, which resumed on Thursday after being put on hold last month.

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