Convicted murderer Oscar Pistorius will only be eligible for parole in August next year. The Correctional Services Parole Board refused to grant Pistorius parole on the basis that he had not served a minimum detention period.
The disgraced Paralympian appeared before the Board in Pretoria on Friday to seek parole ten years after shooting and killing his then-girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine’s Day in 2013.
It seems the parole hearing for Pistorius should never have gone ahead. It appears that the clarification order from the Supreme Court of Appeal indicated that Pistorius had not yet completed the minimum detention period. The order was sent to the Correctional Services Department on March 28 but it’s unclear when the parole Board received it.
Lawyers for Pistorius and the Correctional Services Department are yet to confirm reports that he is considering suing the authorities.
Legal expert Urich Roux says it’s strange that some important information only emerged during the hearing.
“It’s quite bizarre that the parole hearing proceeded given the fact that Pistorius has not met the minimum requirement to bring the application. In other words, he has not served enough of his prison sentence to become eligible for parole. Certainly a big setback not only for him but for all parties involved. There was a certain level of finalisation.”
Source: SABC News
