South African Oscar Pistorius, the former Paralympic sprint champion was released from jail on parole, on January 5, 2024, after serving over eight years of a 13-year sentence for killing his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine’s Day in 2013.
Pistorius was initially found guilty of manslaughter and sentenced to five years in jail but the State appealed the verdict and the sentence. In 2015, Pistorius was found guilty of murder, and a longer sentence was imposed
The former paralympian was released into the care of his uncle, Arnold Pistorius, for the duration of his parole. June Steenkamp, Reeva’s mother, said in a statement that she and her late husband had always known parole was a possibility in the case. “We are grateful that the parole board has imposed strict conditions on his release,” she said, “and this reaffirms our belief in the South African justice system.”
The timing and location are confidential due to the legal requirements of his parole, which also include attending gender-based violence sensitivity sessions as part of his rehabilitation process.
