Oscar Pistorius says he carries a firearm most of the time

01 Feb 2016 | Admin Author

Paralympian Oscar Pistorius's father asked him if he could put ammunition in his safe despite the two not having spoken for many years, the High Court in Pretoria heard on Thursday.

His father put the .38 ammunition in his safe while he was not at home, Pistorius told prosecutor Gerrie Nel during cross-examination.

He could not remember when he did this.

Pistorius is charged with the murder of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, illegal possession of ammunition, and two counts of discharging a firearm in public. He has pleaded not guilty to all
four charges.

Nel told Pistorius his father had refused to make a statement in the case.

"My father and I haven't had communication between the two of us for many years," he replied.

Later however he said:

"He asked if he could keep the ammunition in the safe."

Pistorius then mentioned his lawyer Barry Roux, suggesting he had told the athlete it was permissible to keep somebody else's ammunition in his own safe without a licence.

"Are you telling me that Mr Roux told you were allowed to keep your father's ammunition in your safe if you're not a licence holder for .38 ammunition?"

A smiling Nel took off his glasses and looked over at Roux, who was sitting and looking down.

"I said to him (Roux) it was my understanding," Pistorius replied.

"Mr Roux would not have done it, I put it to you," Nel replied, raising his voice.

"He would have said no because it's illegal."

He pointed out it was the third time Pistorius had blamed his legal team for something.

"You are a gun enthusiast. You come from a family with lots of guns, 50 or more I read somewhere. If you are a gun enthusiast you would know the law. I don't understand why you plead not guilty.

You just don't take responsibility," Nel told him.

Pistorius allegedly fired his friend Darren Fresco's Glock pistol under a table at Tasha's, in Johannesburg, in January 2013.

He also allegedly shot through the open sunroof of a car with his 9mm pistol while driving with friends in Modderfontein on September 30, 2012.

Sapa