Pistorius Moved to Different Prison to Aid Rehabilitation

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – South African Paralympic gold medallist Oscar Pistorius has been moved to a prison better suited to his rehabilitation while serving a six year jail term for murdering his girlfriend, a prison service spokesman said on Monday.

Pistorius has been moved to the Atteridgeville correctional centre, on the outskirts of the capital Pretoria, from the nearby Kgosi Mampuru remand centre.

“The issue is about access to rehabilitation programmes,” department for correctional services spokesman Manelisi Wolela said.

“A remand detention facility has no rehabilitation programme because everyone there is assumed innocent and therefore cannot be subjected to rehabilitation programmes.”

The athlete, known as the Blade Runner for his carbon-fibre prosthetics, was treated for wrist injuries in August but prison services said he denied trying to kill himself.

Pistorius was sentenced to six years in prison in July after being found guilty of murdering his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on appeal last December.

The track star originally received a five-year sentence for a manslaughter conviction, that was upgraded to murder on appeal.

State prosecutors are challenging Pistorius’ latest six year sentence, arguing it was too lenient as it was less than half the 15-years they sought.

Pistorius says he shot dead Steenkamp by accident after mistaking her for an intruder in his house.

(Reporting by Stella Mapenzauswa; Editing by Joe Brock)