Killer Olympian Oscar Pistorius cried himself to sleep on the first night of his five-year jail term for shooting dead his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp. The 27-year-old star was taken to the Kgosi Mampuru prison in Pretoria to serve his jail term. Wearing an orange jump-suit, sources claimed that Pistorius wept when he was placed in his cell until falling asleep. Pistorius is expected to serve just ten months of his five-year jail term. A jail source told The Citizen: You could hear him. Shortly after the door closed you could hear the tears … he was torn up. Broken. The crying went on and on. We think he stopped when he fell asleep. It was really bad. Another source said he was being monitored constantly. The Correctional Services department refused to comment on the claims. Department spokesman Manelisi Wolea said: We have never given a blow-by-blow account of how an offender is progressing on a day to day basis. We have never done that for other offenders and we won’t do that for him. The Paralympic gold medallist is undergoing a 36-hour comprehensive needs assessment and orientation programme to inform him of the strict rules and regulations as a B group inmate at the Kgosi Mampuru prison. He is starting a five-year sentence for killing his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp – but could be out just ten months. His first night behind bars came as the models parents told how they do not feel that justice has been done but insisted they have to accept the sentence imposed by the judge. Mr Morwane said: Once we have processed the inmate properly, we can draw up a sentence plan for him and make him aware of what programmes are available to him. I think he did get some rest over night and he looked to me like he was coping with his new situation. He has everything he needs. Upon arrival yesterday, all of his belongings were taken from him for safe-keeping until his release and he was allocated a cell, sheets, blanket, pillow, toothpaste and toilet paper. The hospital wing at the Kgosi Mampuru facility is heavily guarded round the clock and staffed by two trained nurses. The double-amputees B group classification entitles him to keep a small number of personal photographs in his cell, have two no-contact visits at weekends and on public holidays – with a maximum of 45 visits per year. Once he has served six months of his sentence and proved himself to be a co-operative prisoner, Pistorius could be elevated to group A - which would entitle him to more visits and and enjoy special privileges such as chocolate and Coca-Cola. The disgraced sprinter is one of nine disabled offenders, out of a total number of 7217, being held in the prison, which was formerly known as Pretoria Central and was notorious under apartheid rule for its brutal treatment of political prisoners. The kingpin of one of its notorious numbers gangs has already threatened to order a hit on Pistorius if he is shown preferential treatment. Khalil Subjee, who is known as The General, leads the feared 26s gang which rewards acts of violence with promotion within the gang hierarchy. Mr Morwane insisted the prisons most famous inmate would certainly not enjoy any special treatment during his incarceration. Every prisoner receives the same treatment here, Mr Pistorius will be no different. Nevertheless, the South African runner was taken unshackled and alone from Pretorias high court to the jail in an armoured police vehicle, with armed outriders. Remand and newly-sentenced inmates appearing at the court are usually transported together in the back of a large prison van. The athletes legal team had argued that prison posed a danger to him because of his disability and fragile mental state. But Judge Thokozile Masipa said she believed Pistoriuss disability had been over-emphasised and his excellent coping skills would equip him to adapt to life behind bars.
Posted on: Fri, 24 Oct 2014 03:54:04 +0000
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