Oscar Pistorius: Paralympic champion could walk free from prison after killing girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp
PRETORIA, SOUTH AFRICA: Oscar Pistorius, a former Paralympic champion parole application has been accepted by the court. His case will be heard on Friday, March 31, and whether he can walk out free 10 years after killing his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp will be cleared. Pistorius shot the young model multiple times through a toilet door in his apartment.
At present, he is kept in the Atteridgeville Correctional Centre in Pretoria, as the 36-year-old was convicted of the murder of Steenkamp on Valentine’s Day. Last month, the parents of the victim, Barry, and June Steenkamp, made it clear that they’re against the release of Pistorius. They are likely to be part of the parole board at his hearing since submission by a victim’s relatives is considered an important factor before making a final decision. In an interview with Daily Mail, Barry told, “I told Oscar directly that he had shot my daughter deliberately and he denied it. He stuck to his story that he thought it was an intruder. After all these years we are still waiting for him to admit he did it in anger. That is all we wanted. If he told me the truth, he would have been a free man by now and I would have let the law take its course over his parole."
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'He is a murderer. He should remain in jail'
The heartbroken father also added, “But I was wasting my time. He is a murderer. He should remain in jail.” The board will closely observe the offense Pistorius was held for, his conduct and disciplinary record while in prison, whether he took part in educational or other training courses, his mental and physical state, whether he's likely to ‘relapse into crime’ and the risk he poses to the society. As per Neo Mashele, a legal expert, “Generally speaking, the behavior of the offender is the most important consideration."
Pistorius has been trying to apply for parole since 2021
According to Pistorius, he shot his girlfriend by mistake with his licensed 9 mm pistol assuming it was an intruder. Pistorius has been trying to apply for parole since 2021, but his request was denied because he had failed to meet the victim’s relative, reports ABC News. The South African government runs a program called victim-offender dialogue, as per which if victims or their families want to meet the offender, only then he is eligible to apply for parole.