Oscar Pistorius' uncle on Saturday said the jailed athlete was "numb with shock as well as grief" following the death of his model girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine's Day
Saturday was Pistorius’ third night in police custody, after he was accused of murdering Steenkamp in his own home.u00a0“We are all grieving for Reeva, her family and her friends. Oscar — as you can imagine — is also numb with shock as well as grief,” Arnold’s statement said.
“As a family we are trying to be strong and supportive to Oscar as any close family would be in these dreadful circumstances.”u00a0The London Olympian faces a life sentence if convicted of premeditated murder, as alleged by prosecutors.
“We have no doubt there is no substance to the allegation and that the State’s own case, including its own forensic evidence, strongly refutes any possibility of a premeditated murder or indeed any murder at all,” Arnold added.
Sponsors to wait and watch
Meanwhile, the sponsors investing millions of dollars in Pistorius are uncertain about the future. “Given the ongoing legal proceedings, it would be inappropriate for us to give a comment at present. Our thoughts are with those affected,” a BT spokesperson said. “At this moment, it’s a matter being investigated. We’re not speaking about the sponsorship,” said Nike South Africa.
