Disgraced South African athlete Oscar Pistorius to stay in jail after parole is rejected

JAILED in 2013 for the murder of his girlfriend, Oscar Pistorius’s hopes of being released from prison have come to nothing, writes The Express, on Friday March 31.

Pistorius, 36, has served seven years of a 13-year sentence for killing model girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp in 2013. The six-time Paralympic gold medallist, known as ‘blade Runner’, shot 29-year-old Ms Steenkamp dead in the early hours of Valentine’s Day.

He had hoped to be released after serving just over half of his sentence, but His application for release was denied by the authorities, who cited that Pistorius had not completed the minimum Detention Period as ruled by the Supreme Court of Appeal. The case is due to be reviewed again next August.

Reeva’s Mother, June Steenkamp, 79, arrived at the Atteridgeville Prison, a low-security jail just outside Pretoria, to give evidence at today’s parole board hearing, and argued against his release.

Originally convicted of culpable homicide in 2014, a charge comparable to manslaughter, Pistorius was handed a six-year jail sentence two years later. However, this was changed to murder and eventually increased to 13 years and five months after an appeal by South Africa’s National Prosecuting Authority (NPA).

Lawyer Tania Koen said Reeva Steenkamp’s parents were themselves serving a life sentence as a result of their daughter’s death.

She told reporters: “For them, it’s 10 missed birthdays, it’s 10 Mother’s Days, Father’s Days, Christmases, so time hasn’t healed for them.

“They don’t feel that he should be released.”

As part of a mandatory process known as ‘victim-offender dialogue’ the 36-year-old recently met Reeva’s father, Barry.

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