Oscar Pistorius moving to house arrest next week
Oscar Pistorius will be moved to house arrest on Oct. 20, after serving a year out of his five-year jail sentence for killing his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, in 2013.
South Africa’s department of correctional services said in a statement that the Paralympian would be released on Tuesday and placed under supervision. A routine procedure in South Africa states that an inmate can be qualified for house arrest if he/she has a good record inside prison.
This is the first successful attempt from Pistorius’ camp to be granted a house arrest. Prior to the decision, the parole board wanted to consult with Steenkamp’s family over Pistorius’ transfer, a move which the victim’s family contested. The Steenkamps believe that Pistorius killed Reeva on purpose.
Last year, the 28-year-old athlete was found guilty and arrested for culpable homicide, a charge equivalent to manslaughter, after admitting that he shot Steenkamp through a locked bathroom door, thinking that she was an intruder.
He is set to face another test on Nov. 3 when prosecutors appeal to South Africa’s Supreme Court for a murder conviction in the hopes of getting a tougher sentence. Pistorius will face 15 years in jail if found guilty.
The Paralympian, also known as the 'blade runner' had his legs amputated below the knee when he was 11 months old. With the charges he is currently facing, Pistorius has no immediate hope of reviving his athletic career despite a positive outcome from the appeal.
Pistorius will serve his house arrest in his uncle’s house in the Pretoria suburb where he stayed at during his trial, according to The Guardian. His previous home, where he shot Steenkamp, was sold for £220,000 (AU$464,000) to cover his legal fees.
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