South Africa suspends release of 'Blade Runner' Oscar Pistorius
Justice minister steps in, saying decision to free him on Friday after serving only 10 months in prison for killing his girlfriend had been premature
South Africa put the release of Paralympian Oscar Pistorius on hold, saying a decision to free him on Friday after serving only 10 months in prison for killing his girlfriend had been premature.
Justice Minister Michael Masutha said in a surprise statement on Wednesday that the June decision to allow Pistorius to serve out the remainder of his five-year sentence under house arrest had “no legal basis” and was suspended pending a parole board review.
The 28-year-old athlete, known as “Blade Runner”, was convicted in October of culpable homicide – a charge equivalent to manslaughter – over the killing of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine’s Day in 2013, but prosecutors have appealed, seeking a murder conviction instead.
“It is apparent ... that the decision to release him on 21 August this year was made prematurely on 5 June this year, when the offender was not eligible to be considered at all,” Masutha said.
“The earlier decision of the CSPB [Correctional Supervision and Parole Board] to place the offender under correctional supervision is suspended until the Parole Review Board has decided on the matter,” he said.
