In emotional testimony, Kim Martin told the Pretoria court "everybody has suffered" since he shot Steenkamp dead on February 14 last year.

"I feel Mr Pistorius needs to pay for what he's done for taking Reeva's life, for what he's done to my uncle and to my aunt [Steenkamp's parents], what he's done to the rest of my family, but also what he's done to his family," she added.

"My family are not people who are seeking revenge, we just feel that to shoot somebody behind a door that is unarmed, that is harmless, needs sufficient punishment."

Martin is the first prosecution witness to take the stand at a hearing that will determine Pistorius' sentence for culpable homicide.

Judge Thokozile Masipa could choose to jail the South African for up to 15 years, but may also hand down a suspended sentence or a fine.

Reeva Steenkamp's parents June and Barry have listened to all the evidence and testimony presented during this week's sentencing hearing ©The Times/Gallo Images/Getty Images



The prosecution is beginning to build its case for why the 27-year-old should be jailed for shooting dead Steenkamp.

He fired at her through a locked toilet door in his Pretoria home thinking there was an intruder.

With the reputation of South African jails being called into question by defence witness probation officer Annette Vergeer earlier in the week, the prosecution today called to the stand Moleko Modise, the acting national commissioner for Correctional Services.

He said prisons "can cope" with disabled inmates, and told the court a health assessment would be carried out to determine the "security classification" and "social and psychological needs" of Pistorius.

Defence lawyer Barry Roux said threats had been made against the athlete, but Modise insisted he was not aware of those newspaper reports.

Gerrie Nel, prosecution lawyer, has said he will be calling no further witnesses.

Both legal teams will sum up their cases tomorrow following the week-long hearing.

If Judge Masipa does not reach a verdict tomorrow - assuming she has time to deliberate - the court is not expected to reconvene until next month.