South Africa moves Pistorius to another prison

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Oscar Pistorius, right, arrives inside the High Court in Pretoria, South Africa, Wednesday, July 6, 2016. The South African government says convicted murderer Oscar Pistorius has been moved at his request to a prison that is better able to accommodate disabled offenders. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP, Marco Langori/Pool Photo via AP

JOHANNESBURG – The South African government says convicted murderer Oscar Pistorius has been moved at his request to a prison that is better able to accommodate disabled offenders.

The Department of Correctional Services said Monday that the former Paralympic champion was transferred from Kgosi Mampuru II prison in Pretoria to the nearby Atteridgeville Correctional Centre, which recently installed bath tubs during upgrades for disabled criminals.

It says the Atteridgeville prison houses offenders serving up to six years in prison, and has rehabilitation and development programs for inmates. Officials say double-amputee Pistorius’s disability previously required that he be held in a Kgosi Mampuru remand centre lacking such programs.

Pistorius is serving a six-year prison term for murdering girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp in 2013. Prosecutors have appealed the sentence, which they say is too lenient.

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