News report says FBI 'red tape' delaying access to text messages stored on iPhone three weeks before murder trial
South African detectives still do not have access to Oscar Pistorius's mobile phone just three weeks before the start of his murder trial because of FBI "red tape" in America, according to reports.
Investigators have been trying to persuade the FBI to back their request for Apple to unlock the Paralympic champion's iPhone so its contents can be analysed, according to South Africa's Eyewitness News.
Police declined to comment directly on the report but said they had "everything we need" to go ahead with the trial, due to begin on 3 March, in which Pistorius will claim he shot dead his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, last Valentine's Day because he mistook her for an intruder.
Prosecutors said two iPhones and two BlackBerrys were found on the bathroom floor of Pistorius's luxury home in Pretoria after the killing. The phones are seen as potentially vital evidence because text messages could corroborate or undermine his account of what happened that night.
The double amputee, known as the "Blade Runner", has claimed he forgot his Apple ID code, needed to log in to his iPhone 5 to access the messages.
According to Eyewitness News, investigators are still striving to get the go-ahead from the FBI for mutual assistance in the case. This is apparently a prerequisite for making contact with Apple and gaining permission to study encrypted data on Pistorius's phone.
The report said police had received supporting documents from chief magistrate Desmond Nair and director of public prosecutions Sibongile Mzinyathi and sent copies of the documents to the FBI three weeks ago, but the bureau wanted the originals before they considered the request.
Lieutenant-general Solomon Makgale, a police spokesperson, refused to comment on the specific claim but insisted: "From our perspective, our investigation has been completed. We've got everything we need for the trial. Our focus is on the trial."
Anneliese Burgess, a spokeswoman for the Pistorius family, said she was not aware of the alleged delay.
Police were accused of bungling and contaminating the crime scene during Pistorius's bail hearing last year, with lead detective Hilton Botha being taken off the case. But last week they insisted they were confident of their preparations.
"The case is going to court, [and] all necessary evidence that we needed to take the docket to court has been collected so far," said Maj-Gen Tebello Mosikili, deputy commissioner in Gauteng province. "We have made good progress … We are ready to go to court."
Some 107 witnesses are expected to testify. Among them are 27-year-old Pistorius's sister Aimee, his uncle Arnold, former investigator Botha and residents of the Silver Woods estate in Pretoria, where he lived. Pistorius's former girlfriends Melissa Rom and Samantha Taylor will also testify, along with medical experts, a weather forecaster, paramedics and ballistic and forensic experts.
The trial will be watched closely in Steenkamp's home, Port Elizabeth. Barbara Robertson, a fashion journalist and friend of the model, said: "People are a bit cynical about Oscar Pistorius and sceptical of his fate. Do we want revenge? What is justice? Whatever happened, he killed her and we don't want him to walk away." Reported by guardian.co.uk 16 hours ago.
South African detectives still do not have access to Oscar Pistorius's mobile phone just three weeks before the start of his murder trial because of FBI "red tape" in America, according to reports.
Investigators have been trying to persuade the FBI to back their request for Apple to unlock the Paralympic champion's iPhone so its contents can be analysed, according to South Africa's Eyewitness News.
Police declined to comment directly on the report but said they had "everything we need" to go ahead with the trial, due to begin on 3 March, in which Pistorius will claim he shot dead his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, last Valentine's Day because he mistook her for an intruder.
Prosecutors said two iPhones and two BlackBerrys were found on the bathroom floor of Pistorius's luxury home in Pretoria after the killing. The phones are seen as potentially vital evidence because text messages could corroborate or undermine his account of what happened that night.
The double amputee, known as the "Blade Runner", has claimed he forgot his Apple ID code, needed to log in to his iPhone 5 to access the messages.
According to Eyewitness News, investigators are still striving to get the go-ahead from the FBI for mutual assistance in the case. This is apparently a prerequisite for making contact with Apple and gaining permission to study encrypted data on Pistorius's phone.
The report said police had received supporting documents from chief magistrate Desmond Nair and director of public prosecutions Sibongile Mzinyathi and sent copies of the documents to the FBI three weeks ago, but the bureau wanted the originals before they considered the request.
Lieutenant-general Solomon Makgale, a police spokesperson, refused to comment on the specific claim but insisted: "From our perspective, our investigation has been completed. We've got everything we need for the trial. Our focus is on the trial."
Anneliese Burgess, a spokeswoman for the Pistorius family, said she was not aware of the alleged delay.
Police were accused of bungling and contaminating the crime scene during Pistorius's bail hearing last year, with lead detective Hilton Botha being taken off the case. But last week they insisted they were confident of their preparations.
"The case is going to court, [and] all necessary evidence that we needed to take the docket to court has been collected so far," said Maj-Gen Tebello Mosikili, deputy commissioner in Gauteng province. "We have made good progress … We are ready to go to court."
Some 107 witnesses are expected to testify. Among them are 27-year-old Pistorius's sister Aimee, his uncle Arnold, former investigator Botha and residents of the Silver Woods estate in Pretoria, where he lived. Pistorius's former girlfriends Melissa Rom and Samantha Taylor will also testify, along with medical experts, a weather forecaster, paramedics and ballistic and forensic experts.
The trial will be watched closely in Steenkamp's home, Port Elizabeth. Barbara Robertson, a fashion journalist and friend of the model, said: "People are a bit cynical about Oscar Pistorius and sceptical of his fate. Do we want revenge? What is justice? Whatever happened, he killed her and we don't want him to walk away." Reported by guardian.co.uk 16 hours ago.