Oscar Pistorius will not be released from prison this Friday after it was ruled the decision to the move him to house arrest was made ‘too early’.
The former Paralympic champion was due to be released this week after serving 10 months of a five-year sentence for the manslaughter of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.
Yesterday it was revealed South Africa’s Justice Minister was seeking legal advice on whether the parole board was right in its decision to release Pistorius on house arrest on August 21.
South Africa’s Department of Justice today said Pistorius’s release from prison is to be put on hold and his case must be reviewed again by a parole board because he was approved for house arrest too early into his sentence.
Pistorius should have served 10 months of his sentence in prison before he was considered for release, but instead was approved for release to correctional supervision only eight months into his sentence.
In a statement, the justice department said: “It is apparent therefore that the decision to release him on 21 August 2015 was made prematurely on 5 June 2015 when the offender was not eligible to be considered at all.”
Mthunzi Mhaga, justice department spokesman, told South African broadcaster eNCA it was uncertain if the board could meet to consider the athletes case again before Friday.
He added the decision of the parole board will “have to be suspended”.
