South African state prosecutors have filed an appeal against the conviction and sentence given to athlete Oscar Pistorius for killing his girlfriend.

Pistorius began serving a five year prison sentence for the culpable homicide of Reeva Steenkamp last month although he could be out in 10 months.

The double-amputee Olympic sprinter was cleared of murder, after firing shots in a closed toilet killing his former girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, stating that he mistook her for an intruder. Some persons in the legal system in South Africa had openly voiced their disapproval of the culpable homicide ruling by the Judge Thokozile Masipa.

Yesterday the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesman Nathi Mncube said the state’s appeal papers had been filed with the registrar of the North Gauteng high court.

Pistorius is currently serving his sentence in the hospital section of Pretoria’s Kgosi Mampuru ii jail but he can apply to serve the rest of his sentence under house arrest after 10 months in prison.