The paralympic runner Oscar Pistorius could soon be a free man, potentially as early as this Friday, following a new development in his case.
South Africa's Correctional Services has announced a re-evaluation of Pistorius's eligibility for social reintegration, which may lead to his release on parole.
The reassessment comes after an initial denial of Pistorius's parole request in March, deemed erroneous in retrospect. This error has prompted the authorities to reconsider the question.
Pistorius, famously known as 'Blade Runner' for competing in the 2012 Olympics on carbon-fiber prosthetic legs, has been in prison for nearly a decade.
His fall from grace was swift and dramatic, coming only half a year after his Olympic breakthrough in February 2013, when he fatally shot his girlfriend, model Reeva Steenkamp.
Pistorius admitted to shooting Steenkamp through a bathroom door but claimed he mistook her for an intruder. The trial, which began in March 2013, initially convicted him of culpable homicide.
However, after a series of appeals, South Africa's Supreme Court finally sentenced him in 2017 to 13 years and five months in prison, in addition to the time already served.
This potential turn of events in Pistorius's case follows a long and tumultuous legal journey, stirring public attention once again around the world.
Watch Oscar Pistorius's 400 m run at London Olympics 2012 below:
