Oscar Pistorius
South African Olympic and Paralympic track star Oscar Pistorius reacts after he was sentenced at the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria October 21, 2014. A South African judge on Tuesday sentenced Pistorius to five years in prison for the negligent killing of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine's Day last year. Reuters/Themba Hadebe/Pool

Paralympian and Olympian Oscar Pistorius, who was imprisoned in 2014 for killing his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, is ready to be released from jail on Friday. However, the prosecutors from South Africa have filed an appeal before the court requesting a conviction on him for murdering his girlfriend in order to restrict his release.

“What I can assure you is that today the papers were filed in the Supreme Court of Appeal,” the spokesperson, Luvuyo Mfaku, of the National Prosecuting Authority said on Monday. Meanwhile, the defence team of Pistorius have until September 17 to file their response which will further be heard by the court in November.

Pistorius became an icon after he competed in the two most prestigious sport events, the Paralympics and Olympics. On Valentine’s Day in 2013, however, he killed his girlfriend Steenkamp. He claimed that he mistakenly shot Steenkamp, thinking she was a dangerous intruder. He fired four shots through a locked bathroom.

The athlete, 28, was charged with murder but was found guilty of culpable homicide - a charge similar to manslaughter. He was convicted and sentenced to five years of imprisonment.

On hearing about the release of the convict, the prosecution appealed for judgment and argued that he killed the 29-year-old model and law graduate following a serious argument with her. Despite being sentenced for five years in jail, Pistorius will be released on Friday, serving just 10 months. The decision was taken by the court as the parole board was in favour of placing him under correctional supervision, a form of house arrest.

In case it is found that his conviction is not of manslaughter but murder, he could face imprisonment for at least 15 years which is the minimum in South Africa for such charge. The prosecution’s appeal in the Supreme Court would be heard by a panel of either three or five judges in the central city of Bloemfontein.

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