Pistorius' family denies SA journo's 'acting lesson before trial' claims

The family of Paralympic sprinter Oscar Pistorius has rubbished claims that the athlete had taken acting lessons in preparation for his trial for the murder of his model girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine's Day last year.

The family was reacting to an 'open letter' by a South African journalist Jani Allan, in which the writer alleged Pistorius took "acting lessons" in preparation for his trial.

According to news24, family spokesperson Anneliese Burgess said that the family denied in the 'strongest terms' the contents of Allan's letter, especially the part where it is claimed that Pistorius had undergone 'acting lessons' or any form of 'emotional coaching'.

Burgess further said that such comment makes a mockery of the 'enormous human tragedy' involving the Steenkamp and the Pistorius families, adding that Allan had never met Pistorius and any knowledge she professed to have of him could only be described as 'fictitious'.

The report mentioned that Pistorius, who shot Steenkamp through the locked door of his toilet, is also charged with contraventions of the Firearms Control Act and will appear in his trial, which will resume on May 5, the report added.