Titled Paralympian Oscar Pistorius, who is serving a 13-year prison sentence for murdering his girlfriend Riva Steenkamp, was released early on Friday and will be under strict supervision until December 2029.
In March last year, Pistorius’ request for early release was rejected, as in the Republic of South Africa (SAA) it can be applied for after serving at least half of the sentence. Pistorius raised the claim again and in November his hearing took place, after which a decision on early release was made.
Pistorius, although he was released, will live under strict supervision until December 2029, when his 13-year prison sentence should end, and will not be able to communicate with the media.
The probation board considers a number of factors when granting parole, including his behavior in prison, his mental health and his likelihood of committing another crime. On the other hand, June Steenkamp, the mother of the murdered girlfriend, questioned in a letter to the commission whether Pistorius had dealt with his character problems in prison and expressed concern about the safety of the women who will be in his presence.
Pistorius was initially sentenced to five years in prison in 2014 because the athlete was found guilty of manslaughter. He went to prison in October 2014, but a year later he was released and the sentence was replaced by house arrest. However, the prosecution filed an appeal against the previously awarded sentence, which was upheld by the Appeals Commission of the Supreme Court, finding Pistorius guilty of murder.
Pistorius, on the other hand, then appealed to the Constitutional Court, disputing the decision made by the Appeals Commission, however, the claim was also rejected then and this case was re-examined. In 2017, Pistorisu was sentenced to 13 years and five months in prison.
Pistorius was accused of shooting dead his girlfriend Steenkamp at his home in Pretoria on St Valentine’s Day on February 14, 2013. Previously, Pistorius told the court several times that he fired shots through the bathroom door where his girlfriend was hiding because he was “horribly scared” that someone had broken into his house through an open window.
The 37-year-old Pistorius, who used special prostheses for running, participated in the London Olympic Games in the summer of 2012. The DĀR athlete became the first person with a disability in the history of the Games to compete with the world’s best athletes.
