South Africa Suspends Release Of Oscar Pistorius

South African Paralympian Oscar Pistorius, serving a five-year prison term for killing his girlfriend, may not walk free as expected this week because the decision to release him was "premature", the justice ministry says.

Justice Minister Michael Masutha said in a statement on Wednesday that a June decision to release him on Friday after he had served just one-sixth of his sentence had "no legal basis" and would be suspended pending a parole board review.

Oscar Pistorius Sentenced To 5 Years In Jail

Oscar Pistorius was taken away in a police van with barred windows Tuesday to start serving a five-year prison sentence for killing girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp. Delivering her sentence, Judge Thokozile Masipa cited the "gross negligence" the double-amputee Olympic runner showed when he shot Steenkamp multiple times through a toilet cubicle door in his home.

Pistorius, who had cried and retched during his trial, was unemotional as he stood to hear his sentence. His prison term begins immediately and he was led down a flight of stairs and toward holding cells before leaving the South African courthouse in the armored vehicle.

Oscar Pistorius Awaits Jail Sentence Today

The Olympic and Paralympic runner was convicted of culpable homicide last month for shooting dead 29-year-old law graduate and model Reeva Steenkamp at his home in Pretoria in February 2013.

Judge Thokozile Masipa cleared Pistorius of the more serious charge of murder, saying prosecutors had failed to prove his intent to kill when he fired four 9mm rounds through the door of a toilet cubicle in what he said was the mistaken belief an intruder was lurking behind it.