Izuchukwu Okosi
South African former Paralympian Oscar Pistorius regained his freedom on Friday on parole from a South African jail, nearly 11 years after murdering his girlfriend and Reeva Steenkamp.
The authorities in South Africa are flexible towards criminal offenders and under the parole rule are expected to serve at least half of their jail terms.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelOscar Pistorius was expected to be jailed for a period of 13 years but has served the mandatory half period of stay.
Ms Steenkamp’s mother said after the ruling that she accepted the decision to release the former athlete – but added her family was the one “serving a life sentence.”
In 2012, Pistorius famously known as the ‘Blade Runner’ became the first double amputee to run in the Olympics when London hosted the Games.
On Valentine Day of that year, the disabled Hannah shot Ms Steenkamp multiple times through a toilet door in his house.
Pistorius, 37, claimed he had mistaken his girlfriend for a burglar during the night.
Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc.
