Oscar Pistorius Released From Prison

(ATR) The South African sprinter will now serve the remainder of his five-year sentence under house arrest.

"Oscar Pistorius was placed under correctional supervision tonight," Manelisi Wolela, acorrectional services department spokesman, said in a statement to the AFP on Monday.

"The handling of the actual placement is an operational matter of the local management, and how they handle it is their prerogative that is carried out in the best interest of all parties concerned, the victims, the offender and the Department of Correctional Services."

The double-amputee will stay at his uncle Arnold's property in Pretoria, according to local media, but the location has not been confirmed.

The Kgosi Mampuru II Correctional Supervision and Parole Board approved Pistorius' release from prison last week.The time-frame for Pistorius' parole was set for Oct. 20, 2015-2019.

Under these conditions,the 28-year-old would most likely not be able to compete in an Olympic or Paralympic Games until 2020.

Pistorius, convicted of fatally shooting girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, was due to be released on Aug. 21 after serving 10 months for culpable homicide. At the time,the Department of Justice in South Africa put the Olympic sprinter's release on hold.

The Olympian's conviction is in the process of being appealed and could be reheard in South African court next month.

Prosecutors are preparing to argue that his conviction be upgraded to murder in November. If they succeed, Pistorius will face a minimum term of 15 years in prison.

Last December, the judge in Pistorius' trial ruled that prosecutors could appeal his acquittal on premeditated murder charges.

Prosecutors say the judge misinterpreted the law in her dismissal of the premeditated murder charge, citing a section of South African law called dolus eventualis.

Written byNicole Bennett

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