Oscar Pistorius Up for Parole Just 8 Years After Reeva Steenkamp Murder, Victim’s Parents Weigh In
- Former Olympic athlete, Oscar Pistorius, is up for parole eight years after murdering his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, in their home
- Correctional Services have made the Steenkamp family aware that their daughter's murderer is eligible for parole
- One condition of Pistorius' parole is that he has to have an in-person meeting with Reeva's parents
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Oscar Pistorius is up for parole after serving eight years of a 15-year sentence. He received this sentence for murdering his late girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, on Valentine's Day in 2013.
Singabakho Nxumalo, a Correctional Services spokesperson, said that the Steenkamp family had been alerted to Pistorius' upcoming parole bid.
“The Department of Correctional Services can confirm its engagement with the family of the late Reeva Steenkamp on a matter involving inmate Oscar Pistorius,” said Nxumalo.
Source: Getty Images
Why is Oscar Pistorius already up for parole?
The former Olympic athlete was expected to be eligible for parole in March 2023 but his sentence was backdated in August 2021 to account for when he was first charged with culpable homicide on 21 October 2014, News24 reports. This sentence was later overturned when he received a murder charge.
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At the time when Pistorius was found guilty of murder, he was out on parole as he had completed his culpable homicide sentence. The 10 months plus correctional supervision time he had served was subtracted from his 15-year sentence, leaving him with 13 years and five months.
However, this 13 year and five-month period was dated from 2016, when Pistorius was found guilty of murder. Now that the sentence has been backdated to August 2014, enough time has passed for him to be legally eligible for parole.
Meeting with Reeva's parents
Sufficient time served is not the only condition for parole. Pistorius also has to hold a face-to-face meeting with Reeva's parents, June and Barry Steenkamp.
According to IOL, while the Steenkamp family were made aware of Pistorius' upcoming parole bid and the need for an in-person meeting, Correctional Services has not handled the matter with the appropriate level of sensitivity.
The department has denied these claims and maintains that the Steenkamp family received communication and resources, such as access to psychologists and social workers, from Correctional Services when they were being notified of Pistorius' parole.
Reactions to Pistorious's parole bid
@IlseMc asked:
"What’s with parole? Why bother giving a sentence ?"
@AsaSalie1 believes:
"If I was Oscar I'd beg to be in prison. It a cruel world out here"
@Kagisure1 said:
"Oscar Pistorious will be on parole soon, but I still believe it was wrong of him to jump into wrong conclusion to think (the late) Reeva was an intruder."
@RealBeefactor shared:
"Oscar Pistorious and his parole. Some of the terms of the parole is he should meet her late girlfriend's family. Would you be okay to sit down with a person who murdered your relative and not lose your cool in the process of healing and forgiveness?"
Oscar Pistorius makes parole bid move
Previously Briefly News reported Oscar Pistorius, the Olympic athlete who was convicted of murdering his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, is hoping to get parole soon.
As part of his parole bid, he sent her parents a letter, which triggered their trauma.
The contents of the letter remain unknown, but the Steenkamp family's lawyer, Tania Koen, said it felt "like ripping a Band-Aid off a wound".
Source: Briefly News
