Oscar Pistorius' controversial release from prison into house arrest has been delayed, adding more questions and intrigue to the double-amputee Olympic sprinter's plight.
The South African justice minister found a loophole in the law about granting prisoners parole that is keeping Pistorius locked up at Kgosi Mampuru II prison in Pretoria, The Guardian reported Friday.
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Pistorius was to exit prison on Friday after serving 10 months of a five-year culpable homicide sentence in the shooting death of girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine's Day, 2013.
"But at the last minute the justice minister, Michael Mathusa sent the case to the parole review board, suggesting there had been a mistake. He referred to the letter of the law, which says a prisoner 'shall serve at least one sixth of his sentence before being considered' for parole- sowing confusion in legal circles,' The Guardian reported.
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"It comes down to differing interpretations: the justice minister said the parole board should only have begun considering parole on Friday, after Pistorius had completed a sixth of his sentence. The parole board, on the other hand, had decided that Friday was the date on which Pistorius could be released into correctional supervision.
Legal experts have said that releases involving South African prisoners typically have taken place as soon as one-sixth of the sentence has been completed.
Mathusa sought to block Pistorius' release after The Progressive Women's Movement of South Africa, a women's advocacy group, petitioned against Pistorius' release on Monday.
"I came to the conclusion that the board had erred by sitting and considering his application for parole before the minimum period that he is required to serve," Mathusa told a South African radio station on Thursday, according to The Guardian.
Reports of Pistorius' release had been receiving increased media attention the last two months, making the timing of Mathusa's intervention more than coincidental. Mathusa said he also usually ignores petitions, so why did he answer the PWMSA?
Ironically, the PWMSA's petition asked only that Pistorius' release be delayed until September because August is its "Women's Month."
"If he was released any other month, we wouldn't have a problem," the group's conveyor, Jacqui Mofokeng said.
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