A social worker fighting to keep Oscar Pistorius out of prison for shooting his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, on Valentine's Day 2013 suggested he be put on house arrest instead.

Prosecutor Gerrie Nel described social worker Joel Maringa's recommendation as "shockingly inappropriate" in court yesterday.

"We are basically saying that Oscar Pistorius should not be destroyed," Maringa said in court, who also recommended Pistorius do 16 hours of cleaning a month for his community service work on top of three years of house arrest. 

In September, Pistorius was charged with culpable homicide - and not murder - which has West Africans second-guessing the country's judicial system. Critics say the system is being too soft on Pistorius.

Under West African law, there is no minimum sentence that must be held for a person convicted of culpable homicide. Pistorius' sentence can range anywhere from 15 years to as little as correctional supervision, or house arrest. 

Factors coming in to play that may lessen Pistorius' sentence include his remorse, his status as a first-time offender, and his disability. 

To the family, friends and supporters of Steenkamp don't believe these factors are enough to lighten the ex-swimmer's sentence for killing his girlfriend.

"At the end of the day, a young lady was killed and someone should pay for it," Mildred Lekalakala, a member of the Women's League of the ruling African National Congress, said outside the court, according to Reuters.