Oscar Pistorius appears in the High Court, for sentencing proceedings, Tuesday, June 14, 2016 in Pretoria, South Africa. An appeals court found Pistorius guilty of murder, and not culpable homicide, for the shooting death of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp. (Kim Ludbrook/Pool Photo via AP)
JOHANNESBURG (AP) — The family of Oscar Pistorius says he and other relatives have been threatened in an extortion attempt ahead of the former track star’s sentencing on July 6 for the murder of girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.
South African police said Monday that they are investigating alleged threats of violence made in WhatsApp messages to Arnoldus Pistorius, a cousin of the double-amputee Olympian.
Anneliese Burgess, a Pistorius family spokeswoman, says the man who sent the messages initially told Pistorius’ cousin that he had evidence that would undermine testimony for the prosecution at Pistorius’ sentencing hearing last week.
Burgess says the man wanted payment for the alleged evidence and became “very abusive” when it became clear that he wouldn’t get it.
Pistorius fatally shot Steenkamp in his home early on Valentine’s Day in 2013.
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