Yahoo News Oscar Pistorius' sentence increased for Reeva murder
Oscar Pistorius has had his sentence increased from six years to 13 years and five months for the murder of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.
South Africa's Supreme Court of Appeal in Blomfontein increased the sentence on Friday (November 24) after the state argued that his original sentence of six years was "shockingly lenient", BBC News reports.
The court handed down the minimum 15-year sentence prescribed for murder in South Africa, subtracting the time that the Paralympian, who was not in court for the ruling, has already served.
A spokesperson for Steenkamp's family said the appeal court's ruling "verified there was justice".
Pistorius was found guilty in December 2015 of the murder of the model and TV personality on Valentine's Day 2013.
He was sentenced to six years in custody in July 2016. Defence witness Dr Jonathan Scholtz had argued that Pistorius should not return to jail as he was suffering from "major depression".
However, state prosecutor Gerrie Nel raised concerns about Pistorius's alleged "tantrums" in jail and noted his fitness of mind to give a one-hour TV interview, which aired in June 2016 shortly before his sentencing.
In the TV interview, Pistorius claimed that Steenkamp would not want him to go back to prison.
"If I was afforded the opportunity of redemption I would like to help the less fortunate like I have in my past," he said.
"I would like to believe that if Reeva could look down on me she would want me to live that life."
During the defence's closing remarks at the original sentencing hearing in June 2016, Pistorius removed his prosthetic legs and moved around the courtroom in dramatic scenes, as his lawyer Barry Roux argued there would be "no purpose served" sending him back to prison.
The athlete had previously been found not guilty of the murder of his girlfriend on February 14, 2013, instead being convicted of culpable homicide.
An appeal court later set aside that original verdict, passed down by Judge Masipa in September 2014.
Pistorius was jailed in October 2014 after his initial conviction for culpable homicide. He maintained throughout his trial that he thought Steenkamp was an intruder when he shot her.
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