5 years in Jail for Oscar Pistorius. No, just 10 months.

Oscar Pistorius and Reeva Steenkamp

Today, 21 October 2014, Oscar Pistorius was sentenced to five years for culpable homicide, with an additional three year suspended sentence for a firearms charge, to run concurrently for killing his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.

In addition to the jail terms, the six-time Paralympic champion will be ineligible for athletic competition until he has served his full sentence.
He can, therefore, be free to compete in International Paralympic Committee events in 2019.

But it has emerged that the 27-year-old may only serve 10 months in prison and the rest spent under house arrest.

As she left court, Reeva’s mother, June Steenkamp, was asked by reporters about suggestions that Oscar Pistorius may serve only ten months in jail. She said: “It doesn’t matter, he’s going to pay something.”

Steenkamp’s father, Barry, said: “We are satisfied.”

Pistorius’s uncle, Arnold, said: “We accept the judgment. Oscar will embrace the opportunity to pay back to society.”

Although Reeva’s family seem to be satisfied with the sentence, there have been flurry of furious reactions on social media, especially on Twitter. Commentators think that the five-year sentence is no justice, and that Oscar Pistorius should have been slammed with a stiffer penalty.

#hernamewasReevaSteencamp and 5 years, the majority of which will be spent in the comfort of his own home certainly seems like #nojustice

— Becky (@MrsBeBe_) October 21, 2014

#OscarPistorius to face 10 months of special treatment, followed by 5 years of boredom and free internet

— Fintan Walsh (@FintanYTWalsh) October 21, 2014

Sentenced to 5 years, looking to serve roughly 10 months in prison.. Absolute disgrace ! #OscarPistorius

— Queen Victoria (@vickyzinzan84) October 21, 2014

XCLUSIVE Magazine reported on 11 September 2014 how social media commentators have cynically reacted to the no-guilty verdict on the murder charge against Oscar Pistorius as Only a Game of Football. And supporters of Manchester United and Arsenal football clubs have cheekily pleaded with their respective managers to sign up Oscar Pistorius’s defence.