Oscar Pistorius shot his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine’s Day, claiming he thought she was an intruder. Over the weekend, it was reported that a close friend of Pistorius claimed that the athlete was on “the verge of suicide”. Pistorius has had to sell off his belongings to cover the cost of fighting the states charge of premeditated murder against him.

Pistorius’ close friend, Mike Azzie says the bladerunner is a “broken man” after he allegedly had to sell his prized race horse to cover exorbitant legal fees.

Azzie said in the BBC3 documentary, “Oscar Pistorius: What Really Happened?”:

He just always seems to mention Reeva and to ask us to pray for her and her family.

But most of all, you’ve got to understand that we are there for him and we will always be his friend.

He has no confidence in his tone of voice and he is just a man that is almost like someone that is walking around in circles and doesn’t know where he is going.

I would say that, just speaking to him, that he is a broken man and that I would go as far to say that he would be on the verge of suicide. It really worries me.

In the documentary which airs today, Steenkamp’s best friend Gina Myers recalled the last time she and Steenkamp were together:

I was actually, I was doing my hair and she was getting ready for a meeting and I was getting ready to go to work.

And when she left she told me I was going to be awesome and that she loved me and then I ran out and then I gave her a hug and she left.

The documentary also states that the state has no intention of entering into a plea bargain with Pistorius’ legal team for a lesser charge. However, Pistorius’ lawyers have challenged his bail conditions, arguing them to be “unwarranted and unfair.” In papers filed before the Pretoria High Court, Pistorius’ lawyers argued that the athlete should be allowed to travel, stating that Magistrate Nair did not find him to a flight risk. His legal team argued that Pistorius should be able to travel if permission is given from his case investigating officer.

The other provisions that his legal team are seeking relief from are: Pistorius having to report to the Pretoria Brooklyn Police Station and supervised visits from a probation officer, as well as compulsory drug and alcohol testing.

There is no desire by the appellant to use any prohibited substance or alcohol, but the condition imposed is not warranted or substantiated by facts.

Pistorius would also ask that he be allowed to return to his home where Reeva Steenkamp was shot and murdered. Pistorius’ legal team also stated that the “blanket order” whereby Pistorius is not allowed to talk to residents in the security complex,  was unfair.

[Source: Huffington Post, Times Live]