Oscar Pistorius granted bail ahead of sentencing for murdering Reeva Steenkamp
Six-time Paralympic champion Oscar Pistorius has been granted bail ahead of sentencing for murdering his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.
Last year, the 29-year-old was sentenced to five years in prison, but he spent less than 12 months in a Pretoria jail before being transferred to house arrest at his uncle’s luxury home.
Pistorius could have been ordered to return to prison after the Supreme Court upgraded his culpable homicide (manslaughter) conviction to murder as a panel of five judges did not accept the athlete’s testimony that he mistook Steenkamp for an intruder when he fired four gunshots through the toilet door of his home in the early hours of Valentine’s Day in 2013.
However, in the High Court in Pretoria today, Judge Aubrey Ledwaba granted bail of 10,000 rand (£457) as he did not believe that Pistorius was a flight risk.
Pistorius will remain under house arrest, but will be allowed to leave his uncle’s home every day between 7am and midday, while also being permitted to travel within a 20km radius of the property.
In addition, the double amputee, who is ordered to stay in the district of Tshwane, will be electronically tagged and must submit his travel plans to the investigating officer. Pistorius, who will appeal his murder conviction, will be sentenced on April 18, 2016.
