Africa highlights: Oscar Pistorius guilty of murder for killing Reeva Steenkamp

Summary

South African appeals court rules Oscar Pistorius is guilty of murder
Court overturned earlier manslaughter conviction
The Paralympic athlete to return to court to be re-sentenced
Has served one year of his original five-year term
Pistorius was transferred to house arrest in October
The 29-year-old shot Reeva Steenkamp through a locked toilet door but insists he thought she was an intruder
Email stories and comments to africalive@bbc.co.uk - Thursday 3 December 2015

Live Reporting

Hugo Williams and Lucy Fleming

Algerian security officials 'ban Salsa night'published at 17:30
Algerians who had signed up to enjoy a night of salsa in the eastern city of Constantine left disappointed after security forces crashed the party and banned people from dancing, local Liberte-Algerie reports.
People had paid 400 Algerian dinars ($4, £1.30) to attend the event, where a salsa show was meant to be followed by a dancing lesson, but following the intervention of security forces, half the crowd left before the end of the show, the paper reports.
The story was spotted by Algerian analyst Imad Mesdoua:
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Was Pistorius judgement about sex or race?published at 15:54 Greenwich Mean Time 3 December 2015
South African constitutional lawyer has tweeted a link to his take on the Oscar Pistorius verdict:
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He starts off by saying:
Quote Message
The Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA)... did confirm that unless your life is really threatened or unless you (those concerned will know who I am addressing here) truly believe your life is threatened, you commit murder when you kill a (real, or imagined, black) intruder in your own home
Pistorius verdict 'shows justice system works'published at 15:10
South African journalist Mandy Wiener, who has followed the Oscar Pistorius trial closely, says today's verdict constitutes an "affirmation" of the country's justice system:
"It's showed everyone that the justice system does work... if a decision is made incorrectly by a lower court... the court system isn't afraid to correct itself," she told a Primedia Broadcasting radio station.
She also rejected criticism aimed at Judge Thokozile Masipa, whose initial conviction for manslaughter was changed to murder this morning.
"The Supreme Court of Appeal overturns decisions all the time and it doesn't mean Masipa is a bad judge... it just means she had a different interpretation."
You can hear the full interview below:
Somali journalist killed in bomb attackpublished at 15:01
BBC Somali service reporter tweets:
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Ms Mohamed's injury had been reported earlier on social media:
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Pistorius verdict: A good or bad day for South African justice?published at 14.23
The BBC's World Have Your Say radio programme will be discussing the Oscar Pistorius verdict live at 16:00 GMT.
It's posted the video of the key section of the appeals court ruling from this morning, in which Pistorius was found guilty of murder:
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Reeva friend speaks out on Pistorius verdictpublished at 14.08
A close friend of Reeva Steenkamp, Gina Myers, has been speaking to South Africa's News 24 website, external, giving her reaction to Oscar Pistorius' murder conviction:
"Nothing can justify that she is gone. But I can finally say that Reeva has made this a big day for South Africa and the world. For women, and of course, for her.
"I hope this has brought so much needed peace for the Steenkamp family and all her friends," she told the website.
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Key quotes: A human tragedy of Shakespearean proportionspublished at 13:48
Image source, EPA
Image caption,
Reeva Steenkamp and Oscar Pistorius had been dating for three months
Justice Eric Leach read out a unanimous verdict changing Oscar Pistorius' manslaughter conviction to murder for killing his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.
He opened the hearing with this powerful quote:
Quote Message
This case involves a human tragedy of Shakespearean proportions: a young man overcomes huge physical disabilities to reach Olympian heights as an athlete; in doing so he becomes an international celebrity; he meets a young woman of great natural beauty and a successful model; romance blossoms; and then, ironically on Valentine's Day, all is destroyed when he takes her life"
Read the panel of appeal judges' other key quotes on the Pistorius case, covering the "intruder" and the original trial judge.
Pistorius' lawyer 'switches off phone'published at 11:25
Africa reporter for the UK's Telegraph papers tweets
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You can look back here at 10 key moments of the 2014 trial.
Oscar Pistorius case by numberspublished at 11:13
BBC video journalist Christian Parkinson looks at some of the figures in the Oscar Pistorius case:
Media caption,
Oscar Pistorius case by numbers
'Relief' for Reeva Steenkamp's fatherpublished at 10:38
Reeva Steenkamp's father has said he is relieved that Oscar Pistorius’ conviction has been changed to murder.
"It's a big relief. I feel it's a fair decision that the judge gave," Reuters news agency quotes Barry Steenkamp as saying in a brief interview on local television station ANN7.
As he was speaking, he broke down in tears, saying: “I'm sure she'll be able to rest as well now. I’m sure Reeva is sitting up there now.”
An ANN7 producer and presenter tweeted this clip from the interview - you can just make out what he is saying.
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Springbok coach Meyer steps downpublished at 10:16 Greenwich Mean Time 3 December 2015
It's been a busy day already for South African journalists.
As well as Oscar Pistorius' conviction for murder, media there are covering the resignation of the South African rugby coach Heyneke Meyer, who led the Springboks to third place in the World Cup a couple of months ago:
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Can Pistorius appeal?published at 09:50 Greenwich Mean Time 3 December 2015
Here's another legal perspective from a South African lawyer who has followed the Pistorius trial closely, discussing the possibility of Pistorius appealing his murder conviction in the constitutional court:
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"Nel" in the tweet above refers to state prosecutor Gerrie Nel, dubbed "the pit bull" by the media for his formidable cross-examinations during the murder trial.
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"Masipa" in the tweet above refers to Judge Thokozile Masipa, who presided over the murder trial and handed down the original conviction for manslaughter.
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The opening linespublished at 09:16 Greenwich Mean Time 3 December 2015
South African legal journalist tweets
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'Relief for June Steenkamp'published at 09:07
A South African reporter has tweeted a video showing the reaction of Reeva Steenkamp's mother to Oscar Pistorius' murder conviction:
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The Steenkamps had been critical of the original verdict.
In August, Brian Steenkamp, father of the model who was shot by Oscar Pistorius, said: "What actually came out in court is not the truth."
Pistorius did not attend the hearing in Bloemfontein.
Convicted murdererpublished at 08:59
After a 49-day trial, a year in jail for the Paralympian - the legal wrangling did not stop.
The state's appeal to have the manslaughter conviction overturned has now been successful.
And this, as a BBC reporter tweets, is the final outcome:
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Pistorius home for Christmaspublished at 08:53 Greenwich Mean Time 3 December 2015
BBC reporter tweets
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'Gambled with life of victim'published at 08:36 Greenwich Mean Time 3 December 2015
BBC reporter tweets
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'Common sense to see death'published at 08:34 Greenwich Mean Time 3 December 2015
Reporters following Oscar Pistorius ruling tweet
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Should not be sentenced for a lesser crimepublished at 08:32 Greenwich Mean Time 3 December 2015
Eyewitness Witness news reporter tweets
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Judge finds in favour of the prosecutionpublished at 08:31 Greenwich Mean Time 3 December 2015
BBC reporters tweet
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