Oscar Pistorius has pleaded not guilty to all the charges read out in court on Monday morning at the start of his long-awaited murder trial.
Apart from the murder charge, Pistorius also pleaded not guilty to three other charges, as well as alternative charges, related to the discharge of a fire-arm in public places.
State prosecutor Gerrie Nel read out each charge to him, after which judge Thokozile Mapisa, asked him how he pleaded.
In Oscar's plea explanation read out by his legal counsel, Kenny Olwage, Pistorius denied that he intentionally killed Reeva.
Olwage said that Pistorius denies the allgation in the strongest terms.
He said in fact at the time of the tragic accident that led to Reeva's death, they were in a loving relationship.
Meanwhile, the first witness to testify was Unisa lecturer, Michelle Burger, who lives in an estate adjacent to Pistorius.
She testified that she and her husband had been awoken by a woman's "terrible" screams.
Burger said she sat upright in bed and her husband also jumped up and went to the balconey. "I was still sitting in bed and I heard her screams," she testified.
"She screamed terribly and yelled for help. Then I also heard a man scream for help. Three times he yelled for help. I screamed to my husband to call for help."
Burger said she dialed the security at the estate. Her husband took the phone and told the security that the people next door are being attacked.
She told the court that at some stage Reeva's screams had intensified before she shots. "There were four shots. The time between the first and second was a little longer as between the second and third and third and fourth."
The trial continues.
