Oscar Pistorius: Prison release put on hold – TheLiberal.ie – Our News, Your Views

Oscar Pistorius: Prison release put on hold




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Oscar Pistorius will not be released from prison on Friday as was expected. South Africa’s Department of Justice says it is putting the athlete’s release from prison on hold until his case is reviewed again by a parole board. Pistorius is currently serving a five year manslaughter sentence for killing girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp in 2013.

Department spokesman Mthunzi Mhaga says Pistorius’s release will have to be reviewed again because he was approved to be moved to house arrest too early. Mr Mthunzi said Pistorius should have served 10 months of his sentence before being considered for release. He was approved for parole in June, only eight months into his sentence.

Pistorius had been expected to leave jail this Friday, but the country’s justice minster has now said that this decision was “premature”. Mhaga didn’t say when the parole board would meet to consider Pistorius for release from jail.

His family are said to be very disappointed with the decision. “We are shocked and disappointed that Oscar won’t be home this Friday,” said one family member who did not want to be named.

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