by Mick the Ram

In a dramatic court ruling in South Africa, former Paralympic champion Oscar Pistorius will be released on parole from detention on 5 January, 2024.

The now 37-year-old was convicted of the murder of his then girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, a model, reality TV star and law graduate, at his home in Pretoria, on Valentines Day 2013.

In a killing that shocked the world, the “national hero” shot Ms Steenkamp repeatedly through a bathroom door, having in his version of events “mistaken her for an intruder” claiming he feared for his safety.

After initially being sentenced to five years in 2014 for culpable homicide, sometimes called manslaughter, he was actually allowed out of prison, under house arrest.

A year later, that conviction was overturned when the country’s Supreme Court of Appeal found him guilty of murder, on a legal principle referred to as dolus eventualis – which in essence translates as him being recognised as acting with extreme recklessness, and that he should have known that whoever was behind the door, even if it were an intruder, would likely be killed.

The prosecution successfully argued that the crime was premeditated and Mr Pistorius went after Ms Steenkamp, following a heated argument. He was given a six-year term of imprisonment, which was then increased to 13 years and five months after the sentence was deemed “shockingly too lenient” in a later appeal.

He had been denied parole back in March of this year, but after intervention from his legal team, his case was referred to the Constitutional Court, over errors regarding his eligibility date. The granting of a second hearing was seen, in effect, as an admission of such error and significantly helped the case for Mr Pistorius.

The Department of Correctional Services stated that the former champion will be subject to conditions following his release, until such time as his sentence is expired.

Amputee before first birthday

Oscar Pistorius had both of his legs amputated below the knees at 11-months-old, due to a congenital defect. He would go on to compete at the Paralympic Games, winning multiple gold medals, before becoming the first double amputee to compete against non-disabled athletes, at the London Olympics in 2012. 

He became known as the “Blade Runner” in reference to his prosthetic blades that he used to run in, and was an inspiration to millions of people all around the world.

Pistorius fired four times in a “rage”

After the shooting, Mr Pistorius said he thought Ms Steenkamp was still in bed. Prosecutors had successfully argued that she had in actual fact fled into the bathroom after a late-night verbal fight and that an angry Pistorius had flown into a murderous rage and chased after her.

He then, they said, shot four times through the door to the bathroom with his licensed 9mm pistol, and killed his defenceless “girlfriend”.

Woman with great qualities and a successful career

Ms Steenkamp had graduated in law at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University in Port Elizabeth. She was also a presenter at Fashion TV and had been named among the “100 sexiest women in the world” in both 2011 and 2012 for FHM magazine.

Massive concerns of Mother still suffering

Her mother, June Steenkamp, did not oppose any bail conditions inserted, and chose not to attend the hearing, which was held at Atteridgeville prison, near to Pretoria, saying she “simply cannot muster the energy to face him (Prestorius) again at this stage”.

However, in a letter sent to the parole board she did say that she was not convinced that Pistorius was rehabilitated, because it requires someone to “engage honestly with the full truth of his crime and the consequences”.

Continuing, she spoke of being “concerned for the safety of any woman” who would now possibly come into contact with him, before adding: “I do not believe his version that he thought the person in the toilet was a burglar, in fact, I do not know anybody who does, and my dearest child screamed for her life; loud enough for the neighbours to hear her.”

In Mrs Steenkamp’s opinion the man who killed her daughter had “huge anger issues” and she doubted that they had been truly dealt with in prison.

Set for luxury lifestyle

Upon his release, Pistorius is expected to live at his uncle’s mansion in a wealthy suburb of Pretoria, where he had stayed during his murder trial.