Complete timeline of Paralympian Oscar Pistorius’ journey from a hero to murderer before parole release

Almost 11 years after murdering his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp at his Pretoria home on Valentine’s Day in 2013, the former Paralympic champion Oscar Pistorius is to be freed from jail on parole on January 5, 2024.

Oscar shot his girlfriend multiple times through a locked bathroom door, claiming to be mistaking her for a burglar. Oscar, 37 now, was sentenced by a South African court in 2016 to 13 years and five months in prison.

As reported earlier on November 24, per the Department of Correctional Services, the authorities will monitor Oscar until his sentence officially expires ‘just like all other parolees’.

Whether Oscar wishes to buy a house or get a job during this time, he will notify his parole officer.

Meanwhile, in a letter read out to the parole board earlier during the hearing, Ms Steenkamp's mother said she did not oppose his release but wondered whether his anger issues were truly dealt with during his time in prison. She added she is concerned about the safety of any other woman who shares proximity with the former Paralympic champion.

June Steenkamp chose not to attend his parole hearing, saying, ‘I simply cannot muster the energy to face him again at this stage.’

However, with him now set to be freed on January 5 on parole, let us all look at the complete timeline of his journey from being a hero to a murderer.

A complete timeline of Oscar Pistorius' journey from being a Paralympic champion to a convicted murderer –

• 2004 Athens Games – Oscar becomes a Paralympic gold medalist in the 200m
• 2008 Beijing Games – He further wins three gold medals
• 2012 London Games – Oscar becomes the first double amputee to compete at the Summer Games, reaching the semis in 400m and winning two golds.
• 2013 – February 14, he shot his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, four times through the locked bathroom door.
• 2013 – February 15 – Charged in a murder case by Pretoria court.
• 2014 – September 12 – A high court judge convicts him of culpable homicide.
• 2014 – October 21 - Oscar begins a 5-year jail sentence.
• 2015 – August 19 – South Africa’s justice minister blocks his expected release on parole after he had served ten months of his five-year jail sentence.
• 2015 – October 19 – Oscar was released to house arrest to serve the remainder of his sentence at his uncle’s home in Pretoria’s wealthy suburb.
• 2015 – December 3 – The Supreme Court of Appeal finds him guilty of murdering his girlfriend, adding he should have foreseen the possibility of killing someone while firing shots.
• 2016 – June 6 – Sent to jail for six years.
• 2017 – November 24 – The Supreme Court doubles his jail time to 13 years and five months, accepting the state prosecutor’s argument that the original term was ‘shockingly lenient.’
• 2023 – March 31 – Prison authorities denied Oscar parole, claiming he did not serve the minimum detention period required.
• 2023 – October – The Constitutional Court said Oscar completed half his sentence by March 21, 2023, making him eligible for parole.
• 2023 – November 23 – The Department of Correctional Services said Oscar would be released on parole effective from January 5, 2024.