In a statement following the release of Oscar Pistorius on parole, Reeva Steenkamp’s mother June said she accepted Pistorius’s parole, but the pain of her daughter’s death remained “raw and real”.
She added: “Has there been justice for Reeva? Has Oscar served enough time? There can never be justice if your loved one is never coming back, and no amount of time served will bring Reeva back. We who remain behind are the ones serving a life sentence.”
Pistorius – a double amputee who became an Olympian and a global star – has served nine years behind bars for the fatal shooting of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine’s Day in 2013.
He had fired four times through a locked toilet cubicle door – hitting Ms Steenkamp in the head, hip and hand – and maintains he had mistaken her for a dangerous intruder.
However, prosecutors alleged that he intentionally killed her in anger during an argument.
Pistorius will face strict parole conditions until his sentence expires in 2029 – including a ban on consuming alcohol and speaking to the media.
The 37-year-old is also required to attend programmes on anger management and violence against women, and complete community service.
He could be jailed once again if he breaches any of these conditions.
Officials at a prison in Pretoria described his release as an “operation” that was designed to avoid a media scramble.
The decision to release Pistorius has divided opinion in the city – and while some say he deserves a second chance, others regard his punishment as too lenient.
Bulelwa Adonis, a spokesperson for Women For Change, said: “We are talking about somebody’s life that’s been taken… The fact that someone can walk out free eight years later, it tells us that it’s not that big of a deal.”
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