Oscar Pistorius Set To Be Released On Parole On January 5, 2024
South Africa's former Paralympic champion, Oscar Pistorius, is set to be released on parole nearly 11 years after the tragic shooting of his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, on Valentine's Day in 2013. Pistorius, who claimed to have mistaken Steenkamp for a burglar, was sentenced to 13 years in prison in 2016.
He will be released on January 5, 2024.
The parole board's decision to release Pistorius comes after his second hearing this year. The first was struck down in March due to a miscalculation of his minimum detention period, which was later deemed an error by South Africa's Constitutional Court, leading to Friday's parole hearing.
Steenkamp's mother, June, in a letter to the parole board, expressed concerns about Pistorius's "huge anger issues" and questioned whether they were adequately addressed during his prison term. Despite not opposing bail, she voiced potential worries about the safety of any woman coming into contact with him.
The former Paralympian's journey from global sports star, known as the "Blade Runner" for his carbon-fibre prosthetic legs, to convicted killer has been marked by legal twists. Initially sentenced to five years for culpable homicide in 2014, his conviction was later overturned, and he was sentenced to 13 years and five months in 2017.
Pistorius, who became the first double amputee to compete in the Olympics, will be subject to parole conditions until December 5, 2029, as per the decision of South Africa's department of correctional services.
