Pistorius from South Africa is seeking parole for his girlfriend’s murder

Oscar Pistorius, a paralympic champion from South Africa, could be released from prison this week, ten years after he killed his girlfriend in a crime that made headlines across the globe.

During a hearing in Pretoria on Friday, a parole board will decide whether Pistorius should be granted early release.

Singabakho Nxumalo, a spokesman for the Department of Correctional Services, stated that “the board must evaluate if the purpose of imprisonment has been served.”

Reeva Steenkamp, a model, was killed by Pistorius, who is now 36, in the early hours of Valentine’s Day 2013 when he fired four bullets through the bathroom door of his highly secure Pretoria home.

He entered a not guilty plea and claimed that he had mistaken Steenkamp for a burglar and had not killed her in a fit of rage.

deciding moment
In order to ensure that prisoners “acknowledge the devastation they have caused to their victims and the society at large,” Pistorius met Steenkamp’s parents June and Barry as part of his rehabilitation process last year.

According to Tania Koen, an attorney for the Steenkamps, Reeva’s mother June will be present at the hearing to “make representations to the parole board,” which will include both parents’ victim impact statements.

Barry, June’s husband, is ill and unable to travel, Koen continued.

Potential circumstances
Most parolees must adhere to certain requirements, including as periodic inspection by law enforcement and attendance at a community correctional facility.

Alcohol prohibitions, limitations on the possession of firearms, and counseling requirements are all quite typical, according to Phelps.

According to Nxumalo of the correctional services, other options include community service and day parole, in which the prisoner returns to custody at night.

At the London 2012 Olympics, Pistorius became the first double amputee to compete in an Olympic race, a year before he killed Reeva Steenkamp.

At that time, he was a global sports icon who was courted by sponsors.

His accomplishments, however, were overturned after the murder when his character and past were extensively examined in a trial that garnered international attention.

He was initially given a six-year sentence, but after the state appealed, arguing that it was too mild, the penalty was increased to 13 years.

Nxumalo made the suggestion that in Pistorius’s situation, “the decision may not be decided on the same,” even though typically parole decisions are known the same day as the hearing or a day later.

The criminal has the opportunity to request judicial review if their request is rejected.

AFP