Oscar Pistorius could be out on parole in two months

Oscar Pistorius will be able to serve the remainder of his sentence under house arrest. 

JOHANNESBURG – Oscar Pistorius could be out on parole by the time the State appeals his culpable homicide conviction in the Supreme Court of Appeal in Bloemfontein.

The blade runner was convicted of culpable homicide, after killing his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp and is serving a five-year sentence in Pretoria.

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) on Friday said it would only submit its transcripts to the High Court at the end of May; and a date for the appeal would only be set after both the State and defense file their heads of argument.

This will most likely take around two months, which means it would be heard once Pistorius becomes eligible for early release.

Pistorius will be able to serve the remainder of his sentence under house arrest around August.

The NPA’s Velekhaya Mgobhozi said his application for this will be handled entirely by the Correctional Services Department.

“Mr Pistorius will most likely be due for his release in months to come. It’s generally in the hands of correctional supervision. We have no control on the time frames whatsoever at this time.”

But, the NPA could be asked to make representations to the department on whether this application should be granted.

Meanwhile, the NPA said Judge Thokozile Masipa acceded to its prayers by dismissing Pistorius’ application in the High Court earlier on Friday and a date for the State’s appeal could be set soon.

Pistorius’ lawyers had tried to apply for leave to appeal the State’s legal move against the conviction.

However, Masipa ruled that the application by Pistorius’s lawyers should be struck off the roll, saying it would be tantamount to her reviewing her own decision.

Mgobhozi said today’s decision by Masipa would allow them to proceed with arrangements for the appeal in Bloemfontein.

“Suffice to say that by the end of May the state will be filing for the transcript. The transcript is the court record.”

He said if the defense’s application was successful it would have set a new precedent.