Earlier this month, Judge Thozokile Masipa, who presided over the Oscar Pistorius trial, allowed the NPA's request to appeal against the athlete's murder acquittal last October.

The state's argument against the athlete's "inappropriate" prison sentence, however, was not granted.

"There is a very good prospect that we may convince an appeal court that the shortest possible incarceration in a case like this, my lady, is shockingly inappropriate," Prosecutor Gerrie Nel argued in court during the appeal hearing last December 9.

The Olympic runner had been sentenced to five years in prison for shooting and killing his then-girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, on Valentine's Day last year. Prosecution had argued for the maximum jail time of 15 years for the athlete's culpable homicide conviction.

Judge Masipa, according to the prosecution, misinterpreted the law when she acquitted Oscar Pistorius of murder.

The Oscar Pistorius trial will continue with the case being sent to South Africa's Supreme Court of Appeal.

Despite a prediction by one of South Africa's leading defence attorneys that Pistorius could get out on bail during the appeal hearing, Pistorius will remain in prison.

"They could reasonably ask the court why must their client wait a year or more in custody while waiting for an appeal against his conviction and sentence," Mannie Witz reportedly told the Daily Mail before Judge Masipa's decision for the appeal came through.

According to Witz, Pistorius "could end up with a lesser sentence than the one that was handed down."

June Steenkamp, the slain model and Law graduate's mother, hoped that the appeal will finally get to "the truth."

"Oscar is strong, he has to be strong. He grew up like that. There's lots of things in life, especially for a man like him that is... not fair," the athlete's father, Henke, meanwhile, reportedly told AFP.

According to BBC News, the Oscar Pistorius trial will likely resume for the appeal hearing next year.