PRETORIA, South Africa – After nearly nine years behind bars, South African athlete Oscar Pistorius has been released from prison on parole. Pistorius served time for the shooting death of his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, on Valentine’s Day in 2013.
Once celebrated as an inspiration for competing as a double-amputee Olympic runner, Pistorius was sentenced to 13 years in prison at Atteridgeville Correctional Center in Pretoria. While details surrounding his release were scarce, the country’s Department of Corrections made the announcement early in the morning.
Pistorius was convicted of murder in 2015 and given a 13-year, five-month sentence. Under South African law, serious offenders are eligible for parole after serving at least half of their sentence.
Upon his release on parole, Pistorius must adhere to specific conditions, including not leaving his designated area in Pretoria without permission and undergoing anger management programs. Additionally, he is required to perform community service, with these conditions in place for five years.
During his murder trial, Pistorius claimed he mistakenly shot Steenkamp, thinking she was an intruder in his bathroom. Prosecutors, however, argued that he killed her in a fit of rage after an argument.
Pistorius’ initial conviction of culpable homicide was overturned, resulting in a murder conviction and an extended sentence of 13 years and five months in prison.
As of the time of publication, Fox News Digital reached out to the South African Department of Corrections for comment but did not receive a response.
The information was independently reported, and The Associated Press contributed to this report.