Pistorius to take stand as trial resumes

Oscar Pistorius is expected to take the stand, as his trial resumes this week in a defence relying on forensic experts and South Africa’s notoriously high crime rate to explain how and why he shot dead his girlfriend.

The first defence witness today will be Jan Botha, a pathologist, rather than Pistorius, according to Brian Webber, one of the athlete’s lawyers.

“We don’t have a choice,” said Webber. “The pathologist has personal reasons for why he has to take the stand first.”