US Podcasters Under Fire for Spreading Misinformation About Oscar Pistorius
The hosts of a well-known pop culture podcast in the United States of America have come under fire for spreading inaccurate information about convicted killer Oscar Pistorius and the death of his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp.
The former South African Paralympian, currently serving the remainder of his sentence on parole, has long maintained that he mistook his blonde partner for an intruder inside his Pretoria home.
He is reportedly now in a relationship with another woman, Rita Greyling, who closely resembles the late Steenkamp.
US podcasters criticised over Pistorius remarks
This week, American hosts of The Big Silly Trivia Game podcast faced backlash from South Africans after a clip surfaced of them discussing Pistorius’s 2013 killing of Steenkamp.
Presenters Natalie Shine and Savannah DesOrmeau were accused of making several factual mistakes in the viral segment, including incorrectly stating that the incident took place in Australia.
PAY ATTENTION: stay informed and follow us on Google News!
The clip also featured a narration suggesting that a supposed intruder disturbed the couple while they were in bed, prompting both Pistorius and Steenkamp to investigate.
However, testimony during the widely publicised trial established that there was no break-in or intruder at Pistorius’s home in the Silver Woods Country Estate.
Prosecutors argued that Pistorius deliberately shot Steenkamp, who had locked herself in the bathroom out of fear of her “jealous” and “trigger-happy” partner. Multiple shots were fired through the bathroom door.
Social media users, particularly in South Africa, strongly criticised the podcast hosts in the comment section for misrepresenting the case.
Sports presenter Andile Ncube wrote: “Wow! That’s a lot of misinformation in just 30 seconds. A quick Google search could have prevented this!”
Radio personality Carryn-Ann Nel added: “For starters, this happened in South Africa, not Australia. Court evidence made it clear she was in the bathroom — there was no intruder.”
When will his sentence end?
Pistorius is currently serving a murder sentence for Steenkamp’s killing in 2013. He was initially convicted of culpable homicide in September 2014, but this was later upgraded to murder in December 2015, resulting in a six-year prison term.
Following an unsuccessful appeal, the Supreme Court of Appeal extended his sentence to 13 years and five months in November 2017. His sentence is set to run until December 2029.
PAY ATTENTION: Follow Briefly News on Twitter and never miss the hottest topics! Find us at @brieflyza!
Source: Briefly News
