Pistorius parole review set for September: South African TV

[August 27, 2015]  JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - South Africa's parole review board will meet on Sept. 18 to decide if Oscar Pistorius can be released early from prison, after being sentenced for killing his girlfriend, ENCA television reported on Thursday.

The paralympic gold medalist was due to be released and placed under house arrest last Friday after serving 10 months of a five-year sentence, but the justice minister blocked his release saying procedure had not been followed.

The Justice Ministry and Pistorius' spokeswoman could not be reached immediately for comment.

Pistorius was found guilty last September 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.

During the trial, prosecutors argued Pistorius had killed Steenkamp deliberately after a row. Pistorius said he thought she was an intruder.

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 in November.

(Reporting by Peroshni Govender; Editing by James Macharia and Janet Lawrence)

[© 2015 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved.]

Copyright 2015 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.