Pistorius trial: Athlete says it’s a ‘tough time’

Oscar Pistorius, expected to testify in his murder trial at the end of the week, said yesterday he’s going through ‘a tough time’ in a rare comment after the prosecution closed its case against the double-amputee runner.

It is ‘likely’ Pistorius will take the stand to open the defence’s case, said defence lawyer Brian Webber, adding there’s no specific requirement for him to testify first but it is normal practice.

“I don’t think we have a choice, it’s a question of when,” Webber said of Pistorius’s testimony, which legal experts describe as critical because the judge will have a chance to assess firsthand whether he is a credible witness. Judge Thokozile Masipa will deliver a ruling in the case, with the help of two assessors.