Pistorius brother suspected of wiping phone data after killing

Image
AFP Johannesburg
Last Updated : Oct 02 2014 | 4:35 PM IST
Police suspected the brother of Oscar Pistorius of wiping data from the Olympian's phone in the days after he killed his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, a South African radio station claimed today.
Investigators believed Carl Pistorius synchronised his computer with his brother's iPhone, wiping out the entire call history and all WhatsApp messages, according to an investigation by Eyewitness News (EWN).
Police "considered charging him with defeating the ends of justice but ultimately declined to proceed with a case against him," EWN said.
It also revealed that Oscar Pistorius spoke to an ex-girlfriend, Jenna Edkins, just minutes before he came home to Steenkamp on the fateful night of February 14, 2013.
Edkins, who dated the runner on and off for several years, was stored in his phone under the pseudonym "Babyshoes".
The call was never raised during the trial, but EWN reported that both the prosecution and Pistorius's lawyers knew about it, and that Edkins was prepared to testify in the runner's defence if the phone call was used.
Pistorius is due back in court on October 13 to be sentenced after the judge ruled last month he was guilty of culpable homicide, but not murder.
The new revelations are included in a book on the trial by two EWN reporters released today.
It says police sought assistance from Apple in the United States to gather information on Carl Pistorius's actions.
In a statement last night, the Pistorius family reacted in advance to the EWN article.
"We are not sure of the allegations which are to be made or the source of such allegations, but we are not aware of any deletions having been affected by Oscar or effected on his instructions that could be relevant to this trial or could have impacted on this trial," the statement said.
Pistorius, a 29-year-old double amputee, admitted to firing through a locked toilet door and killing is model girlfriend on Valentine's Day 2013.
He said he thought he was shooting at an intruder and that Steenkamp was safely in bed.
*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: Oct 02 2014 | 4:35 PM IST

Next Story