South African prosecutors have called Oscar Pistorius's five-year manslaughter sentence for killing his girlfriend "shockingly light" and "inappropriate," as they launched a formal appeal.
State attorneys, pressing for a murder conviction and a harsher sentence for the Olympic star, lodged papers at the Pretoria High Court on Tuesday, signalling a new round in the high-profile legal fight.
"The sentence of five years imprisonment... for the murder of Reeva Steenkamp in the circumstances of this case is shockingly light, inappropriate and would not have been imposed by any reasonable court," the National Prosecuting Authority said in its filing.
After a sensational trial that lasted more than seven months, Pistorius was found guilty of culpable homicide -- a count equivalent to manslaughter -- for shooting dead the 29-year-old model on Valentine's Day 2013.
Two weeks ago, the Paralympian was handed the five-year sentence which he started serving immediately.
Under South African law Pistorius could be eligible to complete just one-sixth of his sentence in jail.
"In effect the sentence imposed on the accused means that he will qualify to be released on correctional supervision after serving a mere 10 months," said the court papers.
During his trial, Pistorius admitted to shooting Steenkamp four times through a locked toilet door at his upmarket Pretoria home, but said he thought he was firing at an intruder.
Prosecutors alleged that he shot Steenkamp deliberately after an argument.
High Court Judge Thokozile Masipa found there was not enough evidence to convict the 27-year-old Paralympic and Olympic athlete of premeditated murder.
But the prosecutors say Masipa "erred in over-emphasising the personal circumstances of the accused and the fact that he was suffering from post-traumatic stress, was anxious and 'seems remorseful'".
They also believe the judge did not appropriately take into account Pistorius's actions.
"There is a reasonable prospect that another court may come to a different finding" with regards to the sentence imposed or "in fact overturn the sentence", they said.
The date for the appeal has not been set.
According to the rules of Supreme Court of Appeal, the defence has one month to file an answering affidavit.
National Prosecuting Authority spokesman Nathi Mncube said the application to appeal was expected to be heard by the same judge, Masipa, at the High Court.
"If it's granted, the case will then be heard by the Supreme Court of Appeal."
Mncube said that if Masipa did not grant the appeal, the state had an option to petition the Supreme Court directly to hear the case.
Pistorius became famous for becoming the first double amputee Paralympian to compete against able-bodied athletes at the 2012 London Olympics.
