The family of Oscar Pistorius has claimed they have been warned he will be beaten up and gang raped in prison unless they pay a bribe.

The 29-year-old is facing more than 15 years in prison for shooting dead his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp at his home in Pretoria on Valentine's Day in 2013.


The double amputee Paralympian was previously convicted of culpable homicide, which has since been converted into murder.

Specifically, the person sent message to a relative of Pistorius seeking payment in exchange for evidence that the prosecutor had paid a witness who testified against the athlete at his sentencing last week.

The text message was sent to a cousin of the runner, Arnoldus Pistorius, on June 16, the day after the pre-sentencing hearing ended.

Burgess said the anonymous person began making threats when the cousin did not respond to his demands, including to have Pistorius raped when he goes back to prison.

'These included threats that he would arrange for Oscar to be beaten up and gang raped in prison,' said Burgess in a statement.

Police confirmed that they were looking at the threats made to the family but no arrests had been made.

The former Paralympic champion was sentenced to five years in prison in 2014 after being found guilty of culpable homicide for shooting dead Reeva, saying he mistook her for an intruder.