Oscar Pistorius may not be released from prison on Friday after all

Oscar Pistorius’ scheduled release from prison into house arrest has been put on hold by South Africa’s Department of Justice.

The department said Wednesday that the decision to release the former Olympic sprinter for good behavior was made too early and that his case must be reviewed again by a parole board.

A department spokesperson said it was uncertain whether the board could consider Pistorius’ case again before his previously scheduled release date of Friday.

Pistorius has served 10 months of a five-year sentence for killing girlfriend Reva Steenkamp. That is one-sixth of the sentence he was required to serve before being considered for release into house arrest.

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But since the decision to release him this week came in June, the justice department said, it would have to be reconsidered.

“It is apparent therefore that the decision to release him on 21 August 2015 was made prematurely on 5 June 2015 when the offender was not eligible to be considered at all,” the justice department said in a statement.

What was looking like a good week for Pistorius is turning out to be not so great. On Monday prosecutors in his case filed papers at South Africa’s Supreme Court of Appeal, looking to have his culpable homicide conviction upgraded to murder.

If the appeal is won, Pistorius could face a minimum of 15 years in prison.

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