A South African court has heard that the parents of deceased Reeva Steenkamp have rejected a large cash sum offered by Paralympic runner Oscar Pistorius after he killed her as they do not want that 'blood money'.
Prosecutor Gerrie Nel revealed Pistorius's offer of 34,000 dollars during his sentencing hearing.
Earlier, a defence witness told the court that Pistorius would be physically at risk if sent to prison. The Paralympic runner has been found guilty of culpable homicide, but cleared of murder, Sport24 reported.
The defence is trying to show that prison would be an inappropriate punishment for the double amputee.
Pistorius' offer of a lump sum of 375,000 rand to the Steenkamp family emerged on the second day of his sentencing hearing, during the cross-examination of defence witness Annette Vergeer.
Nel told Vergeer that Pistorius raised the funds from selling his car. The prosecutor added that Steenkamp's mother June had rejected the offer and said that she down not want 'blood money'.
Nel also highlighted separate monthly payments of 540 dollars (6,000 rand) made by Pistorius to the Steenkamps, who were short of money after their daughter's death.
Nel said these funds, which have been mentioned in Vergeer's report, would be paid back to the accused in full every cent.
Steenkamp, a 29-year-old model and law graduate, was hit three times by bullets shot through a toilet door by Pistorius at his home in the capital, Pretoria.
The sentencing hearing is expected to last several days, the report added.
