Oscar Pistorius was released from Atteridgeville prison, a few kilometers from the South African capital Pretoria, after serving almost 9 years in prison for the murder of his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp.

The Paralympic champion, as expected, is officially on probation from today, the Ministry of Justice announced in a statement released at 6.30.

Pistorius is already in his uncle Arnold Pistorius' luxurious villa in Waterkloof, a rich neighborhood of Pretoria.

Pistorius, who shot his girlfriend on Valentine's Day 2013 (he claims by mistake, thinking she was a burglar), was sentenced to 13 and a half years. His sentence expires in December 2029, until then he will be prohibited from consuming alcohol and will have to attend programs on anger management and against violence against women. He will not be able to leave the Waterkloof district without permission, will not be able to speak to the media and will have to carry out community service.

A plethora of journalists waited for him outside the prison gates, but the athlete was released early, when there was no one outside.

(Unioneonline/L)