Computer giant Apple is assisting the South African police in gaining access to a cellphone used by murder accused Oscar Pistorius on the night his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, was shot dead in his Pretoria house.

Pistorius maintains he cannot remember the four-digit personal identity number (PIN) needed to unlock the device. Britain’s Mail on Sunday newspaper reports that the iPhone 5 phone was found on the floor of the bathroom in which the model was shot. Prosecutors believe the phone contains vital evidence.

Lieutenant General Vineshkumar Moonoo, who is leading the investigation, says Apple has made technicians available to help them. Pistorius has been charged with premeditated murder and will appear in court again on August 19.

Meanwhile, constitutional law expert Professor Pierre de Vos says the ongoing media coverage on Pistorius’ murder case should not have any bearing on its outcome. This follows comments made by Acting Chief Magistrate of the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court, Daniel Thulare, during Pistorius’ brief appearance earlier this month.

Thulare told the court that he was concerned about the reporting of Pistorius’ murder case and warned the media to operate within the Constitution when covering court proceedings. But De Vos says reporters don’t try any court cases.

He maintains that: “The whole idea of trial by media is nonsense in law. There’s no such thing because the media or the public are not the ones being tried on the guilt or innocence of any other person.”

According to De Vos, when the media reports that a person is accused of crime and going to be charged for it, it will obviously affect the reputation of that accused, but the judge is not going to be fazed by what is in the media, rather, he will base on the evidence that prosecutors put before him.
For more http://www.sabc.co.za