South African Olympic Sprinter, Pistorious Released From Prison

The double-amputee Paralympic and Olympic sprinter, Oscar Pistorius has been released from prison on parole, as reported by CNN.

This comes more than ten years after he shot his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, in a globally shocking incident.

Pistorius’ parole petition, approved by a parole board in November, cited that he had completed half of his 13-year sentence for the shooting, meeting the eligibility criteria under South African law.

Singabakho Nxumalo, a spokesperson for South Africa’s Department of Correctional Services, said that Pistorius was released from Atteridgeville Correctional Centre, located west of Pretoria, on Friday morning. Until his sentence concludes in 2029, he will be bound by parole conditions.

In a statement Friday, Steenkamp’s mother said her only desire following Pistorius’ release is that she would be allowed to live her remaining years “in peace“.

“There can never be justice if your loved one is never coming back, and no amount of time served will bring Reeva back,” June Steenkamp said. “We, who remain behind, are the ones serving a life sentence.”

On February 14, 2013, Pistorius shot Reeva Steenkamp four times through a locked bathroom door at his residence in Pretoria. Despite prosecutors asserting that the act resulted from a Valentine’s Day argument, Pistorius has consistently claimed that he mistook her for an intruder and did not kill her in a fit of anger.

During the highly publicized trial, where global attention was focused, Pistorius pleaded not guilty to a murder charge and a firearms charge linked to Steenkamp’s death.

Initially, in 2014, he was convicted of manslaughter and received a five-year sentence. However, a higher court later overturned this conviction, upgrading it to murder in the following year and subsequently increasing his prison term to six years.

Prosecutors, deeming the initial sentence excessively lenient, appealed the ruling. Consequently, in 2017, South Africa’s Supreme Court of Appeal increased Pistorius’ sentence to 13 years and five months.

In adherence to a law allowing parole eligibility for inmates who have served half of their sentence and fulfilled criteria such as maintaining good behaviour, Pistorius became eligible for parole in March 2023.

The legislation is part of the country’s “Restorative Justice” process, which allows offenders to “acknowledge and take responsibility for their actions.”

According to the DCS, Pistorius will serve the remaining portion of his sentence within the country’s community corrections system.

Reuters, citing a lawyer for the Steenkamp family, reported that he is mandated to participate in programs addressing gender-based violence and continue undergoing therapy sessions for anger management.

The DCS said in a statement Wednesday that “general parole conditions” will apply, including Pistorius being required to be home at particular hours of the day.

Consumption of alcohol or prohibited substances will be strictly prohibited for Pistorius, and he will be compelled to engage in programs specified by the Correctional Supervision and Parole Board.

“Just like other parolees, Pistorius is restricted from conducting media interviews,” the statement added.