JOHANNESBURG: South African athlete Oscar Pistorius is found guilty of culpable homicide after the judge finds he killed his girlfriend by mistake, but acted negligently.
South African Judge Thokozile Masipa also on Friday found Oscar Pistorius guilty of negligently handling a gun in restaurant, but acquitted him on two other firearm charges.
The Olympics star was granted bail on Friday until sentencing set on October 13.
In the state’s first victory after the shock dismissal of murder charges against the star athlete, the judge said Pistorius was guilty of recklessly discharging a firearm in a packed Johannesburg restaurant.
Pistorius was accused of asking to see a gun in Tasha’s restaurant and while handling it under the table the firearm went off.
“He may not have intentionally pulled the trigger... that does not absolve him of the crime of negligently handling a firearm,” said Masipa.
Pistorius, who had remained emotionless the whole morning, started clenching his jaw during the ruling.
Masipa had however cleared Pistorius on charges of illegally possessing ammunition, which the sprinter said belonged to his father.
She also said there was not enough evidence to suggest he was guilty of another count of shooting a gun through a car sunroof.
On Thursday, the judge had cleared Pistorius of all murder charges, who said he did not foresee he could kill anyone the night he shot his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.
“Clearly he did not subjectively foresee this as a possibility that he would kill the person behind the door, let alone the deceased as he thought she was in the bedroom,” Masipa told a packed court, as tears streamed down Pistorius’ face.
