The video of Oscar Pistorius playing soccer in a concrete prison courtyard first produced criticism of the "Blade Runner." Now it's producing accusations of favorable treatment by Kgosi Mampuru II prison officials.
The Telegraph is reporting that South African prison officials are insisting that Pistorius is not receiving preferential treatment while serving a five-year sentence on a culpable homicide charge in the shooting death of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.
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The video shows Pistorius playing in a soccer shootout-type exercise with fellow inmate Radovan Krejcir, whom The Telegraph describes as "one of the country's most notorious underworld figures who is currently on trial for the kidnap and attempted murder of the brother of an alleged drug dealer, as well as dealing in drugs himself."
Both prisoners are in civilian sports clothes, and the video seems to indicate laughter being exchanged between the inmates - which painted a far different picture than the report that indicated Pistorius was eating only tinned cans of food out of fear his prison food might be poisoned.
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But criticisms of prison officials giving the former South African double-amputee Olympic sprinter also have surfaced. The Daily Sun reported that the treatment Pistorius had been receiving angered other inmates, who claimed the soccer players were on a "holiday camp."
But the Department of Correctional Services rebutted, saying both remand and sentenced prisoners were entitled to have one hour of exercise daily, and can switch into prison overalls for sporting equipment during that time.
The DCS also objected, The Telegraph reported, to the use of information on its most famous prisoners obtained by "unethical means."
"The DCS is aware that there are officials providing misleading information to the media on inmate Pistorius and Krejcir," it said.
Which could indicate that Kgosi Mampuru II prison has bigger issues than giving Oscar Pistorius preferential treatment.
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