By Milcah Tanimu
South Africa’s former Olympic runner, Oscar Pistorius, has been granted early release from prison, a decade after he fatally shot his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, in a case that captured global attention. The parole board, responsible for reviewing Pistorius’s readiness for social reintegration, decided to place him on parole from January 5, according to the country’s department of correctional services.
Pistorius, known as the “Blade Runner” for his carbon-fibre prosthetics, will complete the remainder of his sentence under community corrections, subject to supervision in compliance with parole conditions until his sentence expires.
Reeva Steenkamp’s mother, June Steenkamp, expressed skepticism about Pistorius’s rehabilitation during the parole hearing, stating that true remorse requires an honest acknowledgment of the crime and its consequences. However, she did not oppose parole for Pistorius. This parole hearing, held at a correctional center outside Pretoria, marked Pistorius’s second attempt at parole in less than eight months. His initial bid in March was denied for not completing the minimum detention period, but a recent ruling by the Constitutional Court granted a new hearing.
Oscar Pistorius was found guilty of murdering model Reeva Steenkamp in 2013 and received a 13-year jail sentence in 2017 after a protracted legal process. Despite June Steenkamp expressing doubts about Pistorius’s version of events, she forgave him long ago. As part of his rehabilitation, Pistorius met Steenkamp’s parents last year, a process aimed at making inmates acknowledge the harm they have caused.
While offenders in South Africa are automatically eligible for parole consideration after serving half of their sentence, the parole board assesses whether the inmate still poses a danger to society. Parole typically comes with conditions such as monitoring from authorities and a duty to report to a community correction center.
