South Africa parole review board delays Oscar Pistorius’ release

Reuters

10 years ago

South African Olympic and Paralympic sprinter Oscar Pistorius is led to a prison van after his sentencing in Pretoria October 21, 2014. (Mike Hutchings/Reuters)

South Africa‘s Oscar Pistorius arrives for the start of the men‘s 400m T44 final in the Olympic Stadium at the London 2012 Paralympic Games in this September 8, 2012 file photo. Pistorius is due to be released on Friday after serving 10 months of a five-year sentence, in line with South Africa‘s custodial guidelines for non-dangerous prisoners. (Suzanne Plunkett/Files/Reuters)

Oscar Pistorius of South Africa celebrates winning the Men‘s 400m T44 Final during the London 2012 Paralympic Games at the Olympic Stadium in London in this September 8, 2012 file photo. Pistorius is due to be released on Friday after serving 10 months of a five-year sentence, in line with South Africa‘s custodial guidelines for non-dangerous prisoners. (Andrew Winning/Files/Reuters)

South African Olympic and Paralympic track star Oscar Pistorius stands in the dock as his sentence is delivered at the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria October 21, 2014. (Herman Verwey/Pool/Reuters)

Oscar Pistorius of South Africa comes out of the starting blocks during his men‘s 400 metres heat at the IAAF World Championships in Daegu in this August 28, 2011 file photo. Pistorius is due to be released on Friday after serving 10 months of a five-year sentence, in line with South Africa‘s custodial guidelines for non-dangerous prisoners. (Max Rossi/Files/Reuters)

"Blade Runner" Oscar Pistorius leaves the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria, in this file picture taken September 12, 2014. (Mike Hutchings/Files/Reuters)

"Blade Runner" Oscar Pistorius sits in the dock in the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria, in this file picture taken March 4, 2014. Pistorius, 29, is expected to wear an electronic tracking tag when he is released on Friday after serving 10 months of a five-year sentence for killing his model and law graduate girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine‘s Day 2013. (Antoine de Ras/Pool /Files/Reuters)

"Blade Runner" Oscar Pistorius sits in the dock during his trial in the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria, in this file picture taken May 6, 2014. Pistorius, 29, is expected to wear an electronic tracking tag when he is released on Friday after serving 10 months of a five-year sentence for killing his model and law graduate girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine‘s Day 2013. (Mike Hutchings/Files/Reuters)

"Blade Runner" Oscar Pistorius sits in the dock during his trial in the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria, in this file picture taken March 5, 2014. Pistorius, 29, is expected to wear an electronic tracking tag when he is released on Friday after serving 10 months of a five-year sentence for killing his model and law graduate girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine‘s Day 2013. (Siphiwe Sibeko/Files/Reuters)

"Blade Runner" Oscar Pistorius leaves the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria, in this file picture taken March 7, 2014. Pistorius, 29, is expected to wear an electronic tracking tag when he is released on Friday after serving 10 months of a five-year sentence for killing his model and law graduate girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine‘s Day 2013. (/Mike Hutchings/Files/Reuters)

"Blade Runner" Oscar Pistorius awaits the start of court proceedings in the Pretoria Magistrates court, in this file picture taken February 19, 2013. (Siphiwe Sibeko/Files/Reuters)

JOHANNESBURG — South Africa’s parole review board has delayed the release of Paralympic gold medalist Oscar Pistorius from prison, where he is serving a sentence for killing his girlfriend, local television station eNCA reported on Monday.

The television station quoted sources on the review board for its report though there was no immediate confirmation from the board itself. A spokeswoman for the Pistorius family, Annelise Burgess, said she would issue a statement later.

Pistorius was due to have been released to house arrest in August after serving 10 months of a five-year sentence.

But South Africa’s justice minister, Michael Masutha, blocked his release, saying the law required the athlete to serve a sixth of his sentence. Masutha referred the case back to the parole board.

It was not immediately clear when a new parole hearing for Pistorius would be held.

Pistorius was found guilty in September 2014 of culpable homicide, the equivalent of manslaughter, after he fired four 9mm shots through a locked toilet door in 2013 killing his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine’s Day.

At a globally televised trial he argued that he had mistaken Steenkamp for a burglar.

Prosecutors are appealing the verdict, arguing it should be murder because Pistorius must have known when he fired that the person behind the door could be killed. The appeal is due to be heard on Nov. 3.

A panel of five judges will hear the appeal. The judges could either reject the prosecution’s appeal, order a retrial or convict Pistorius of murder themselves, legal experts say.