Accusations of offering "blood money" to the parents of Reeva Steenkamp, the victim and girlfriend in the infamous homicide case against sprint runner Oscar Pistorius, had been hurled at the latter during trial.

One of the attorneys handling the case for the Steenkamp's side disclosed that the family had been given $US550 monthly by Pistorius.

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The monthly payment the family received from Pistorius reportedly came after Steenkamp's parents sought his financial assistance. Following the request, the Paralympian began sending them $US550 regularly. However, the parents of the victim reportedly intends to return what is now dubbed as "blood money" from the Paralympian.

Dup de Bruyn, one of the lawyers for Steenkamp's parents, disclosed outside the courtroom that Pistorius' attorneys were contacted weeks following the Feb. 14, 2013 incident regarding the financial struggles of the model's family.

According to de Bruyn, the Steenkamp's family's request for financial assistance had been responded by Pistorius in the form of monthly compensations. However, the Paralympian asked the model's family to keep the arrangement confidential.

However, when Pistorius reportedly offered the purported one-off payment of $US35,000, June Steenkamp, the model's mother, became outraged and called the sum "blood money". Furthermore, June asked one of the prosecutors to point out the incident during the trial.

"The words 'blood money' are her words," de Bruyn declared.

The information regarding the cash given by the suspect emerged during the testimony of Annette Vergeer, one of the witnesses for the defense and a parole officer, who had been providing evidence to the court in connection with the sentencing hearing for Pistorius.

In addition, Gerrie Nel, the chief prosecutor for the case, claimed that Pistorius allegedly offered Steenkamps' family a one-off payment amounting to a total of roughly $US35,000. However, the model's family decided to reject the offer from the double-amputee Olympian and asserted that they did not want "blood money" from him.

"Did the legal team of the accused tell you that the deceased family rejected the offer of 375,000 (rand)?" the prosecutor questioned Vergeer.

"The deceased's mother went so far to say that she rejects that and that she doesn't want blood money," Nel added.

TagsOscar Pistorius, Paralympian, homicide, kill, Dead, Reeva Steenkamp, June Steenkamp, Dup de Bruyn, blood money, Annette Vergeer, Gerrie Nel