Explanation time begins for Oscar

IT is crunch time for Paralympic athlete Oscar Pistorius as his defence leads its experts when the trial resumes today after a two- week break.

Pistorius's murder trial, which has captivated the world, goes on in the High Court in Pretoria.

The Blade Runner killed his girlfriend, former Port Elizabeth model Reeva Steenkamp, on Valentine's Day last year by pumping four bullets through a closed toilet door. He claimed that he mistook her for an burglar.

Wits University criminal law and criminal procedure expert Professor James Grant said the defence had a lot to explain.

"It remains unexplained why Oscar didn't check for Reeva; why didn't he notice that she wasn't in the bed; why she wouldn't have called out behind the toilet door, and why Oscar would have immediately concluded that it was a burglar".

Grant also said Pistorius's defence should explain why he had not fired a warning shot.

The Sunday Times reported yesterday that Pistorius's counsel, Advocate Barry Roux, was expected to call ballistic expert Tom Wolmarans this week.

Wolmarans has more than 40 years' experience and testified in more than 800 court cases.

Forensic analyst Dr David Klatzow said Wolmarans's testimony would be crucial.

"I suspect that what he is going to have to do is to get away from the delay in the shots ... because if there was a delay, which is what the state is arguing, then it would appear that Reeva had time to collapse," Klatzow said.

"And if she cried out, Oscar would have known it was Reeva behind the door." - Philani Nombembe