Oscar’s release delayed
The Blade Runner will not be released on parole this Friday as planned.
Former West Rand pupil Oscar Pistorius will not be released from prison this Friday, 21 August as planned.
This after SA Justice Minister Michael Masutha asked for a review of the decision to release him.
Masutha in a statement said the decision to free the athlete was taken prematurely.
One sixth of a five year sentence is 10 months and at the time the decision was made Mr Pistorius had served only over six months of his sentence.”
Pistorius was due to be transferred from prison to house arrest on Friday. He was expected to stay at his uncle’s three-story mansion in the capital, Pretoria. Under South African law, Pistorius is eligible for release under “correctional supervision”, having served a sixth of his sentence.
The decision by Masutha to put Oscar Pistorius’ early release on hold has come as a complete shock, not just to the Pistorius family but to many people who follow legal issues here.
According to the prison department, the double amputee was going to be released on Friday because this is South African law – all offenders convicted under the same law as Pistorius can be considered for correctional supervision once they have served at least one-sixth of their sentence. In other words it was not the prison’s independent view to release the Paralympian but part of South African legal procedure.
Reeva Steenkamp would have celebrated her 32nd birthday on Wednesday 19 August.
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Also read:
Blade runner free as a bird in two days?
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