Oscar Pistorius has appeared in court to have the start of his murder trial but have to wait until early March. Now it has been officially charged murder case against the South African sprinter prostheses. The 26-year-old will have his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp shot intentionally.

While under suspicion of murder prostheses South African sprinter Oscar Pistorius has arrived on Monday morning under a lot of hype in the court of Pretoria. Hundreds of photographers and cameramen crowded around the athlete when he made ​​his way into the building

Pistorius returned to Pretoria Magistrates’ Court this morning for the short hearing, in which a judge set his trial date for March 3 next year.

The judge asked him if he was well, to which he replied: “Under the circumstances, your honour.”

He was formally charged and told that his bail conditions remained the same.

Court documents show that more than 100 witnesses will be called to give evidence at the trial, including one of Pistorius’ ex-girlfriends Reeva Steenkamp.

Pistorius was “very emotional”, and appeared to be praying with his brother and sister before the proceedings started.

The three siblings held hands in a small circle, and at one point Pistorius wiped his face with a tissue.

His brother Carl later tweeted a photograph of Pistorius and Ms Steenkamp, adding: “Remembered like yesterday. My life was impacted by u @reevasteenkamp & the lady u were! Always close to our hearts.”

The 26-year-old double amputee is accused of killing Ms Steenkamp, who would have turned 30 today, in a shooting incident at Pistorius’ home in February.

Pistorius denies he committed murder and says he shot Ms Steenkamp by mistake, thinking she was an intruder.

The case was sent to the High Court in Pretoria.

A judge will preside over the trial and ultimately pronounce the world-famous athlete innocent or guilty. South Africa does not have trial by jury.

The mandatory sentence for someone convicted of premeditated murder in South Africa is life with a minimum of 25 years in prison.

Meanwhile, Ms Steenkamp’s uncle has said he has already forgiven Pistorius for killing her.

Mike Steenkamp said the family have coped with her death by concentrating on her life rather than how she died.

In an interview on ITV’s Daybreak, Mr Steenkamp said: “I think from the beginning and onset that we decided that we could never be sidetracked from Reeva’s life, and I think that’s helped us tremendously.”

The murder trial of 26-year-olds from 3 to to 20 March 2014 take place. Prosecutor Gerrie Nel told on Monday before the Magistrate’s Court in Pretoria, his authority had agreed with the defense on these dates.

Pistorius, who appeared in a black suit, was emotional about the court date. He entered the courtroom with his sister Aimee and his brother Carl. The brothers turned the cameras of the media to the back, joined hands and said a prayer in tears before the hearing began. When only a few minutes of hearing the charge list also was formally handed over to the court and the lawyers – and thus officially charged murder charge.

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