Convicted killer Oscar Pistorius has been bumped to ‘Category A’ prison status, meaning he is allowed contact visits,to wear jewellery and to have a bigger budget for toiletries, reported the Mail Online on Monday.
Pistorius family spokesperson Annalise Burgess confirmed to the publication prison authorities upgraded his prison status because they did not see him as a danger to society.
“We have a family Whatsapp group on which we all hear the news about Oscar as well as other family business,” said Burgess. “Since Aimee and Carl (his sister and brother) are his most frequent visitors, it is usually them who let the rest of us know what is happening with him inside.
“This has boosted him a lot. He has been very low in prison, although he seems to be getting all the support from the prison authorities he needs.
Pistorius family spokesperson Annalise Burgess confirmed to the publication prison authorities upgraded his prison status because they did not see him as a danger to society.
“We have a family Whatsapp group on which we all hear the news about Oscar as well as other family business,” said Burgess. “Since Aimee and Carl (his sister and brother) are his most frequent visitors, it is usually them who let the rest of us know what is happening with him inside.
“This has boosted him a lot. He has been very low in prison, although he seems to be getting all the support from the prison authorities he needs.
“His new status means he will be able to have more visits – there are a lot of family members who would like to go and see him, but in the past have stayed away so that it is mostly Carl, Aimee, his aunt and grandmother who take the allocated slots.”
With his new status, Pistorius will now receive a monthly allowance of R150 (up from R100) to purchase treats from the tuckshop and buy toiletries.
He will also be allowed to take up a hobby and keep a radio.
The paralympian will get 24 phone calls a year now, a massive increase from the six he was previously allowed with his Category B status.
Last year Pistorius was sentenced to five-year behind bars after he was found guilty of culpable homicide for the death of his model girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp. He shot her four-times through the bathroom door of his Pretoria home on 14 February 2013.
The State has since launched a successful bid to appeal Pistorius’s sentence. The date of the appeal has not yet been determined.
With his new status, Pistorius will now receive a monthly allowance of R150 (up from R100) to purchase treats from the tuckshop and buy toiletries.
He will also be allowed to take up a hobby and keep a radio.
The paralympian will get 24 phone calls a year now, a massive increase from the six he was previously allowed with his Category B status.
Last year Pistorius was sentenced to five-year behind bars after he was found guilty of culpable homicide for the death of his model girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp. He shot her four-times through the bathroom door of his Pretoria home on 14 February 2013.
The State has since launched a successful bid to appeal Pistorius’s sentence. The date of the appeal has not yet been determined.
By: Farai Diza
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