Paralympic gold medalist Pistorius faces a minimum 15-year jail term

Barry Steenkamp (L), father of Reeva Steenkamp, attends the third day of the resentencing hearing of Paralympic gold medalist Oscar Pistorius, for the 2013 murder of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, at Pretoria High Court, South Africa June 15, 2016. [Photo/Agencies]

A state prosecutor argued that Pistorius - who did not take the stand himself - had shown no remorse or told the court why he fired the shots, and asked the court jail the athlete for the prescribed minimum sentence of 15-years.

The athlete originally received a five-year sentence for a manslaughter conviction, that was upgraded to murder on appeal. The original trial judge, Thokozile Masipa, was presiding at the hearings at the Pretoria High Court.

The case has prompted a fierce debate in a country beset by high levels of violent crime against women and still dealing with the legacy of decades of apartheid race-based rule.

The victim's father Barry Steenkamp said on Tuesday that Pistorius must pay for his crime.