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The blade runner

Not since the release of Nelson Mandela has a local issue dominated such international headlines.

The South African public is aghast at the sight of Oscar Pistorius fighting to prove his innocence. What happened to the legal dictum “You are innocent until proven guilty?” A media circus is unfurling around Oscar. The media in the tweeter era and in the court of public opinion have already found Oscar guilty and the crucification has begun.

The cardinal feature of this tragedy and the Rosetta stone of this investigation are: why was the bathroom door locked, when an adjacent sliding door was left opened? The post-mortem reveals that Reeva’s bladder was empty, indicating that she visited the toilet to relieve herself. If this is the case, then what time was this and was Oscar aware of this. The only other explanation is that urination took place due to extreme shock when the first bullet struck her. This is shock-induced urination.

In this scenario, her clothes should be contaminated and vital evidence compromised. Solve the bathroom riddles and you will establish a motive for the crime. It is a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma.

We must avoid speculation, and let the law take its course. Truth will ultimately prevail. Perhaps, Oscar will reveal the truth to Oprah Winfrey.

Farouk Araie, by email

• A farcical legal system in South Africa, for the first time on display in front of a packed international media, is one more nail in the coffin of a judiciary that together with a great constitution, was supposed to show fairness.

The Oscar Pistorius pre-trial turned out to be a comedy of errors with a known felon presiding as prosecuting officer, and unbeknown to his initiator, as also having an upcoming trial, for several counts of murder.

The blindfolded lady of the judiciary, known the world over in courts as a symbol of lopsided judgments, at times, is clearly very much “alive and kicking” — as money and contacts take precedence over other “lesser fortunate” awaiting trialists, who lack such resources.

In the end, a bumbling Clouseau clone of an investigator (later dumped from the case) was enough to turn the tide — giving the athlete some freedom — for now.