After being in relative seclusion for the three months since allegedly killing his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp Oscar Pistorius is back in the news. The Olympian and double-amputee was audited and fined by the South African government for failing to pay taxes, according to the Associated Press.
Pistorius was fined an undisclosed amount less than one million rand, or $105,000 U.S., and was able to pay it, reports The City Press. In a very short statement to the Associated Press Pistorius' uncle, Arnold, said "Oscar is tax compliant."
Pistorius has been rumored to be near financial ruin due to all of the legal fees he has incurred combined with losing the majority of his sponsorships after being arrested for murder. Pistorius' family issued a statement saying that while the legal fees are enormous the Olympian is not broke.
"While the family doesn't deny that Oscar's legal expenses are massive and that he has sold off some of his investments, including his racehorses...Oscar will evaluate the cost situation on a day-to-day basis and make decisions as required," the statement read.
LJ Van Zyl, a former teammate of Pistorius, told the Associated Press about how the sport has suffered in South Africa without the presence of the "Blade Runner."
"If Oscar is at the competition, the South African stadium is full and now that has gone," Van Zyl said. "So athletics is really taking a dip now that he is off the track. In the beginning it was really tough for every one of us. Now it's still painful for all the athletes. It's sad, but I try to focus on my thing."
Also making news this week were leaked photos from the crime scene at Pistorius' Pretoria residence. The photos were first shown by Sky News. The pictures show the bathroom where Steenkamp was shot. Pistorius says he mistook Steenkamp for an intruder and shot her through the locked bathroom door. The pictures can be seen at this link but be warned, they are quite graphic.
Pistorius will be in court on June 4 for a hearing that is expected to be quite brief. The police and prosecutors are expected to ask for the case to be postponed until August so they can be fully prepared, reports the Associated Press.
