Oscar Pistorius released from prison after girlfriend’s murder – News

  • Former top athlete Oscar Pistorius has been released on parole.
  • He left the prison in Atteridgeville near Pretoria.
  • This was announced by the South African Department of Corrections.
  • He was convicted of manslaughter.

Pistorius, who became known as the “Blade Runner,” killed his then-girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine’s Day 2013 when he shot four times through the closed bathroom door of his Pretoria home. The proceedings against the former sprint star dragged on for years and went through several instances. Pistorius said at the time that he fired several times because he feared there was a burglar behind the door. But the evidence was against him.

Legend:

Oscar Pistorius had to answer for the murder of his girlfriend. Before the violent death of his girlfriend, Pistorius had made sports history. At the 2012 Olympic Games in London, he became the first disabled person to run the 400 m against non-disabled athletes. (Archive image from the trial in 2013)

REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko

The now 37-year-old has served about half of his sentence of 13 years and five months. Under South African law, he was automatically entitled to a parole hearing. The 37-year-old was successful in his application for probation at the end of November.

Constant observation

Pistorius is “now at home,” the prison authorities said. He is said to be already in the villa of his uncle Arnold Pistorius in Waterkloof, a wealthy area of ​​Pretoria.

Only released on probation on the second attempt


Open the box
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Inmates in South Africa are automatically eligible for parole after serving half of their sentence. A first application from the former sprint star surprisingly failed in March. At the time, the prison authorities were of the opinion that Pistorius had not yet reached the required minimum period of imprisonment.

As the DCS prison authority announced, Pistorius will be “under constant supervision” during his probation and will be subject to strict conditions. Among other things, the six-time Paralympic gold winner and six-time world champion is only allowed to leave the suburb of Waterkloof with permission and must complete a rehabilitation program. This includes community service as well as anti-aggression training and “therapy for his problems with gender-based violence,” said Steenkamp family spokesman Rob Matthews. The probation period runs until December 5, 2029.

The victim’s mother criticized her after her release, saying she was the one serving “a life sentence” in her grief, June Steenkamp wrote in a statement.

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