'Rules bent for Oscar'

21 October 2015 - 02:11 By Graeme Hosken

The family of Reeva Steenkamp have slammed the early release of her killer, Oscar Pistorius, questioning how many more "rules and laws" he would be allowed to break. Pistorius was released into house arrest on Monday night, 24 hours early.He has spent the past year in Kgosi Mampuru II prison in Pretoria for killing Steenkamp on Valentine's Day in 2013.Pistorius's release, which the Correctional Services Department has described as the prerogative of the prison authorities and a private matter, has sparked outrage.People slammed it on social media and motorists drove past the Pretoria home of Pistorius's uncle, Arnold Pistorious, where the athlete will be serving the remainder of his five-year sentence, hurling abuse. "Murderer, murderer," one screamed.The department hit back at critics, saying the release had nothing to do with "preferential treatment" but was rather an "operational decision".Steenkamp's uncle, Mike Steenkamp, told The Times the family was bitterly disappointed by what had happened. He questioned the seriousness of the correctional services department about ensuring Pistorius kept to his probation conditions: "Will he really serve the remainder of his sentence until 2019 under house arrest? How will they observe and monitor him when they juggle the rules like this?"Regardless of whether he came out a day early or 30 days early, the rules are the rules and he should have been let out only today [Tuesday]."Steenkamp questioned the motivation behind the early release and who had been behind it."The department and his family claim the conditions are strict, but after this [Pistorius's early release], they [the department] have shown their hand. They will now have to prove themselves. They must know that they will be watched."Manelisi Wolela, Correctional Services Department spokesman, would not give details of Pistorius's parole conditions, but rather cited numerous general conditions that could be given to parolees, including house arrest, community service, seeking employment and remaining employed, refraining from using drugs and alcohol and being monitored...

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