Credit: X
Oscar Pistorius, the former South African Paralympian, jailed for killing his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine’s Day in 2013, has been granted an early release from prison on parole. The Department of Correctional Services (DCS) in South Africa has confirmed that the 37-year-old will have his parole placement effective from January 5, 2024.
Heralded worldwide as the “Blade Runner” for his carbon-fibre prosthetics legs, Oscar Pistorius became the Paralympic champion before committing the heinous crime of killing his girlfriend a decade ago. Initially, he was jailed by a High Court in South Africa for five years in 2014 for culpable homicide, in hearings that caught the attention of the world, but then, in late 2015, the Supreme Court of Appeal found him guilty of murder following an appeal by prosecutors.
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In 2016, Oscar Pistorius was sent back to jail by the High Court for six years, but the sentence duration was less than half of the 15-year minimum, that the prosecutors had sought out. Next year, the Supreme Court of Appeal decided to double his sentence to 13 years and five months, calling the High Court sentence shockingly lenient.
The Spokesman of DCS was quoted as saying about the parole placement of Oscar Pistorius, “The Department of Correctional Services (DCS) confirms parole placement for Mr Oscar Leonard Carl Pistorius, effectively from 5 January 2024.” Factors like the nature of the crime, the possibility of re-offence, and prison conduct are some of the factors which must have played a part in releasing the 37-year-old on parole.
