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 model's 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-amputee's '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 prison's 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 Pretoria's 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 athlete's 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 Pistorius's
disability had been 'over-emphasised' and his 'excellent coping skills' would
equip him to adapt to life behind bars.
Source-Dailymail
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