Day 3 of Oscar Pistorius’ murder trial ended just moments ago in Pretoria, South Africa. Professional boxer Kevin Lerena, a friend of Pistorius, testified that a gun Pistorius was handling went off as they dined in a restaurant in January 2013. Lerena testified the bullet grazed his toe.
Pistorius, 27, is accused of shooting and killing his 29-year-old model girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp through a bathroom door at his Pretoria home on Feb. 14, 2013. Pistorius has pleaded not guilty, claiming he thought he shot an intruder who was hiding in the toilet.
Pistorius is a double amputee Olympic sprinter dubbed the “Blade Runner” for his prosthetic legs.
Picture of Reeva at Tasha's White Party – at same restaurant when shooting incident later took place.@eNCAnews pic.twitter.com/2OfvGZxdej
— Karyn Maughan (@karynmaughan) March 5, 2014
Lerena testified he was having dinner with Pistorius at Tasha’s restaurant in January, 2013 when another friend passed a gun to Pistorius.
“A gun was passed under the table,” said Lerena. “Darren Fresco passed it under the table to Oscar.”
“Was anything said?” asked prosecutor Gerrie Nel. “Darren said ‘I’m one up’,” said Lerena.
Lerena said he understood that to mean, there was a bullet in the chamber. Lerena testified he was “in shock” when the gun went off grazing his toe.
“I was in shock, there was a hole in the floor,” says Lerena. “There was a graze, I was scratched. There was blood on my toe,” he said.
“Oscar apologised and said ‘is everybody OK’,” said Lorena, who added Pistorius asked Darren to take the blame for the shooting.
“He said to Darren ‘please, say it was you. I don’t want any attention around this.’
“Then the people from the restaurant came across and Darren took the blame.”
Lerena said Pistorius paid for the dinner bill and the group left the restaurant.
#Oscarpistorius Premier Nomvula Mokonyane just arrived. ANCWL supporting the Steenkamp family. TM pic.twitter.com/KYHIunpmQu
— Matshidiso Madia (@tshidi_lee) March 5, 2014
Meanwhile, Nomvula Mokonyane, the regal premiere of Johannesburg and Pretoria, attended day 3 of the trial on Tuesday. She told the world media she was there to show support for Reeva’s family.
Mokonyane was upset that the press is treating Pistorius like a rock star.
“We’re here to support Reeva Steenkamp’s family. Somehow it’s become all about Oscar Pistorius and people are forgetting her,” Mokonyane said.
She added: “I thought to myself, at least the man is still alive and sitting in court. Reeva is not so lucky.”
More from Sandrarose.com:
