Oscar Pistorius has been confirmed to have left the prison in South Africa where he has spent the last nine years. Pistorius left the prison early on January 5 and was secretly transported to his uncle's mansion as authorities looked to avoid the throngs of media outside the prison. The national Department of Corrections later released a two-sentence statement that confirmed Pistorius had been released and was now classified as a "parolee".
However, he will not be able to leave the neighborhood of Pretoria he is set to live in, must attend anger management counseling, and perform community service. "Parole does not mean the end of the sentence. It is still part of the sentence. It only means the inmate will complete the sentence outside a correctional facility," the spokesperson told ESPN in November 2023. Pistorius became eligible for parole as he had served at least half his given sentence.
Family Of Oscar Pistorius Victim Speak On Athlete's Parole
The family of Reeve Steenkamp, Pistorius' girlfriend whom he murdered on Valentine's Day 2013, did not oppose his parole when it was announced last year. Steenkamp's mother said she "did not have the energy to face him" at a parole hearing. However, "I do not believe Oscar's version that he thought the person in the toilet was a burglar. In fact, I do not know anybody who does. My dearest child screamed for her life. I believe he knew it was Reeva," the statement read by Steenkamp family friend Rob Matthews continued. Matthews' daughter was murdered in 2004 and he has since become a close friend of the Steenkamp family.
As mentioned, Pistorius is expected to spend the foreseeable future at his uncle's mansion in a wealthy neighborhood of Pretoria. Little is known about Pistorius' time in jail. Despite this, his father claims that he held regular Bible study for his fellow prisoners. However, Pistorius also required medical treatment during his incarceration. It is believed he was assaulted by a fellow prisoner regarding an argument about a prison telephone.
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