Court hears broadcast bid in Pistorius case

 

Public broadcaster SABC brought an application before the Vanderbijlpark Magistrate's Court on Wednesday to broadcast the case of Carl Pistorius, brother of paralympian Oscar Pistorius.

 

 

Carl Pistorius is facing a culpable homicide charge after an accident in 2008 that led to the death of a 36-year-old woman.

 

Advocate Joe Nalane, for the SA Broadcasting Corporation, said the case was in the public interest and that Carl Pistorius was a high profile person.

 

"It is of important concern that matters of this concern be broadcast," he said.

 

However magistrate Buks du Plessis asked if the case would still be of interest if Oscar Pistorius was not charged with the murder of his girlfriend, law graduate and model Reeva Steenkamp.

 

"That unfortunate event enhanced the interest in this matter," Nalane responded.

 

However prosecutor Johan Venter opposed the application, saying it was not in the public interest.

 

"This has nothing to do with public education. It is about sensationalism... What sells stories and advertising."

 

He said the matter should be dealt with like any other.

 

Pistorius family attorney Kenny Oldwage also opposed the application, saying he had been involved with the case from the onset and was not aware of media interest prior to Oscar Pistorius's case.

 

Broadcasting the case would impose on Carl's right to a fair trial, he said.

 

"It is common cause that he is here because he is the brother of Oscar."

 

Oldwage said the media interest in Oscar Pistorius's case made it difficult for the legal team to do its work.

 

He quoted from Pretoria magistrate Desmond Nair's bail judgment, in which Oscar Pistorius was granted R1 million bail, saying the media interest had created a "different species".

 

"We were overwhelmed by the media. It was difficult to do our job. Do we want another species to be created?"

 

Oldwage added that Nalane "ambushed" him with the application on Wednesday morning. He said Oscar Pistorius's image should not extend to Carl and that culpable homicide was a serious charge.

 

A ruling on the matter was expected at 10.30am.

 

At 8.15am, Carl Pistorius, dressed in a neat black suit and white shirt, entered courtroom J and went to speak to his lawyers. He went to sit in the public gallery and greeted the journalists. A short while later his sister Aimee arrived. The siblings hugged and asked the journalists standing nearby if they could have a private moment.

 

Reporters left the front row of the public gallery after Aimee Pistorius indicated that more relatives would be attending proceedings.

 

Photographers and cameramen and women took images of the family as Carl sat perusing documents.

 

In a statement last month, Oldwage said after the accident culpable homicide charges were brought against Carl Pistorius. The State later withdrew them, but the National Prosecuting Authority had them reinstated.

 

Carl's appearance comes a day before Oscar Pistorius is expected to challenge the bail conditions the Pretoria Magistrate's Court imposed on him. The court granted Pistorius bail of R1 million on February 22 after he was charged with the murder of Steenkamp in his Pretoria home on February 14. The application resumes.

 

- Sapa