Oscar Pistorius' final sentencing hearing due

A final hearing for sentencing South African Paralympian Oscar Pistorius for the murder of his model girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, is due to start in Pretoria on Monday.

He faces a jail term of at least 15 years, but his sentence can be reduced due to time already spent in prison and mitigating factors, BBC reported.

The hearing is expected to last all week with the pronouncement of a sentence by Friday.

Pistorius, 29, killed Steenkamp in February 2013 after firing four times through a locked toilet door.

The blade-runner athlete has always maintained he believed he was shooting at an intruder.

He was initially sentenced to five years for manslaughter, but the conviction was upgraded to murder in December 2015 following an appeal by the prosecution.

Original trial Judge Thokozile Masipa will hear arguments from both prosecution and defence this week. The Paralympic athlete may testify.

He was released from prison last October after almost a year in jail and allowed to serve out the remainder of his initial sentence under house arrest on his uncle's property in Pretoria.

--IANS

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