Jailed South African paralympic star Pistorius met victim’s father
JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – Former South Africa paralympic famous person Oscar Pistorius, jailed in 2016 for killing his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, final week met her father, a lawyer for the Steenkamp household mentioned on Friday.
The lawyer, Tania Koen, mentioned Pistorius took half in a course of generally known as victim-offender dialogue – an integral a part of South Africa’s restorative justice programme that brings events affected by against the law collectively in a bid to attain closure.
“(I can) affirm Barry Steenkamp and Oscar Pistorius participated in a victim-offender dialogue on 22 June 2022,” Koen mentioned in a press release.
She mentioned she would make no additional remark on account of her shoppers’ privateness.
The division of correctional providers mentioned earlier that Oscar Pistorius was transferred again to Atteridgeville jail close to the capital Pretoria, from St Albans Correctional Centre within the Jap Cape close to the place Steenkamp’s dad and mom reside.
He had been moved nearer to her household late final 12 months.
Pistorius, generally known as “Blade Runner” for his carbon-fibre prosthetic legs, went from public hero to convicted assassin in a trial that drew worldwide curiosity. He turns into eligible for parole after serving half of his 13-year sentence.
Singabakho Nxumalo, a spokesman for the division of correctional providers, mentioned in a press release Pistorius will proceed serving his sentence as taking part within the victim-offender dialogue doesn’t equate to an finish of sentence nor parole.
Gold medalist Pistorius, as soon as the darling of the Paralympic motion for pushing for larger recognition and acceptance of disabled athletes, shot lifeless Steenkamp, a mannequin and regulation pupil, in his rest room in 2013.
Pistorius mentioned he had believed she was an intruder however was jailed in 2016, initially for a six-year time period. After an enchantment by prosecutors who mentioned this was too lenient, the time period was elevated to 13 years.
(Reporting by Anait Miridzhanian in Gdansk and Alexander Successful in Johannesburg; Modifying by James Macharia Chege and Angus MacSwan)
