Former Paralympic star Oscar Pistorius sits in the South African Gauteng Division High Court in Pretoria, South Africa, ahead of his hearing on December 8, 2015. /CFP
South Africa's former Paralympic star Oscar Pistorius, jailed in 2014 for killing his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, has been granted parole effectively from January 5, 2024, the Department of Correctional Services said on Friday.
Pitorius, also known as the "Blade Runner," was initially jailed for five years in 2014 for culpable homicide by a high court after shooting and killing Steenkamp on Valentine's Day in 2013, but the Supreme Court of Appeal in late 2015 found him guilty of murder after an appeal by prosecutors.
Oscar Pistorius celebrates winning gold medal at the Paralympics in London, UK, September 8, 2012. /CFP
He was sent back to jail for six years in 2016, less than half the 15-year minimum term sought by prosecutors.
In 2017, the Supreme Court more than doubled his sentence to 13 years and five months, saying the six-year jail term was "shockingly lenient."
(With input from Reuters)