The South African department of correctional services in a statement today says, ‘The parole board considered all submissions, including the offender’s profile report, the directives of the Parole Review Board and the submission of the victim’s family and approved the placement of offender Oscar Pistorius under correctional supervision as from October 20, 2015’.
The Paralympian star’s lawyers had argued that he should have been released and granted house arrest in August after serving one-sixth of his jail term sentence for killing Steenkamp in 2013.
But he remained behind bars after Justice Minister, Michael Masutha made a last-minute intervention and the case was referred for review.
In a trial that made headlines around the world, Pistorius, now 28, was jailed last year for killing Steenkamp, a model and law graduate. He was found guilty of culpable homicide.
After his release, Pistorius will face a further test on November 3, 2015 when prosecutors appeal to South Africa’s Supreme Court for a murder conviction and a tougher sentence.
