PRETORIA: South African Paralympic champion Oscar Pistorius was denied parole on Friday after seeking early release from prison a decade after he shot and killed his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp. The Department of Correctional Services said a parole board found Pistorius had not completed the minimum detention period required to be let out.
“We were… advised at this point in time that it has been denied and it will be considered again in one year time,” Tania Koen, a lawyer for the victim’s family, said.
A parole hearing opened Friday morning at the jail on the outskirts of the capital where the 36-year-old is detained. Comprising at least three people, including prison services and community members, the board was to determine whether the purpose of imprisonment had been served, according to the department of correctional services.
Pistorius killed Steenkamp in 2013
Pistorius killed Steenkamp, a model, in the early hours of Valentine’s Day 2013, firing four times through the bathroom door of his ultra-secure Pretoria house, in a killing that shocked the world. He was found guilty of murder and given a 13-year jail sentence in 2017 after a lengthy trial and several appeals.
Steenkamp’s parents, who opposed an early release, saying they do not believe the ex-athlete told the truth about what happened and has not shown remorse, welcomed the decision.
“While we welcome today’s decision, today is not a cause for celebration. We miss Reeva terribly and will do so for the rest of our lives. We believe in justice and hope that it continues to prevail,” they said in a statement via their lawyer.
Earlier, Steenkamp’s mother, June, had made the couple’s position known to the board, addressing the hearing in person. “I don’t believe his story,” she told journalists from the back of a car as she arrived at the correctional facility.
Known worldwide as the “Blade Runner” for his carbon-fiber prosthetics, Pistorius became a household name worldwide and was courted by sponsors, but it all came crashing down after the killing.
Inmates have the right to approach the courts for review when parole is denied.
The denial of Pistorius’ parole comes as a relief for Steenkamp’s family, who have been advocating for justice for their daughter’s murder. Pistorius’ fate remains uncertain as he will have to serve more time in prison before he can be considered for parole again.
