Past & Future Home: Tour Prison Cell Occupied By Paralympian Oscar Pistorius [Video/Updated]
The South African media was recently given unprecedented access to the prison cell occupied by Paralympian Oscar Pistorius during his brief incarceration. Photos were taken and have been shared of the tiny room and facilities available to him.
The prison cell occupied by Oscar Pistorius in the Kgosi Mampuru II correctional center was certainly a comedown from his former luxurious home. His neighbor in the prison was the notorious fraudster and drug dealer Radovan Krejcir, who had similar accommodations.
The Inquisitr recently reported that Pistorius’ former home was to become a party house, and we were taken on a video tour of the luxurious house, including the infamous bathroom where he shot and killed his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp back in 2013. As a comparison, the prison cell pictured below definitely has a distinctly different appearance.
Video shows the inside of Oscar Pistorius’ former prison cell https://t.co/X8rkre3UL9 pic.twitter.com/Kp8wki3uz7
— Daily Mirror (@DailyMirror) December 2, 2015
In a similar vein, another article on the Inquisitr gave yet another video tour, this time of the luxurious house previously owned by fraudster Radovan Krejcir before he was extradited to the Czech Republic to face charges of attempted murder and fraud. The house has since been sold on auction for an undisclosed price. Again, Krejcir’s cell, which was pretty much identical to that of Pistorius, was a definite comedown in style.
To get an idea of the size of the prison cell, it is roughly the length of a single bed with barely enough space to turn around. There is a single bed, covered in a blue sheet, and opposite that is a cabinet to store various items like toiletries. On the wall facing the door is a small basin.
As reported by the Independent, for a very basic feeling of home, the window high up on the wall has blue cotton curtains and the walls are painted yellow to brighten what would be an otherwise totally depressing and claustrophobic environment.
One of the prison’s most famous inmates ever, Oscar Pistorius spent just under a year of his five-year sentence here for the killing of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp before being released under house arrest.
His neighbor, Krejcir, spent time as his neighbor after being found guilty of kidnapping, drug dealing, and attempted murder in South Africa. He has since been extradited back home to face yet more charges and has been jailed in the Czech Republic for 15 years.
Both cells were side by side and were located in the hospital wing of the prison due to the fact that Pistorius is a double amputee and Krejcir reportedly suffers from various illnesses.
The two men reportedly shared a bathroom, pictured in the images below, with other inmates on the same floor. While the cells were tiny, the bathroom is a little bigger and has just one white bath, with railings fitted for those inmates who need assistance.
#Prisons Oscar Pistorius’ cell. Right next to it Radovan Krejcir’s cell and the bathroom they shared. DB. pic.twitter.com/8EePZg96Ve
— EWN Reporter (@ewnreporter) December 1, 2015
Mandla Mkhabela, the acting regional commissioner at the Gauteng Department of Correctional Services, explained that some of the reports on South African prisons “are not from an informed position.” He said they realized the media needed to have an insight into what they do, their operations, and the programs they render.
According to Mkhabela, Pistorius and Krejcir were treated just like any other prisoners and were only given treatment like any other inmate who had special needs.
They were given one hour of exercise per day and could spend the rest of their day in the cells or performing other activities that would assist in their rehabilitation.
The tour took journalists around the various workshops where inmates can get training and certification in several trades, including carpentry, electrical work, mechanical work, and other skills.
Pictures of Oscar Pistorius’ prison cell emerge as prosecutors decide whether to send him back there https://t.co/guoiHR8v7z
— The Independent (@Independent) December 2, 2015
Mkhabela explained that Oscar Pistorius was the first double-amputee they had in the prison system, and they treated him according to the needs he had and nothing more. He wanted the media to understand this.
He added, “Kgosi Mampuru II almost became Oscar Mampuru. It is not about one offender. We have 35,000-plus offenders. We cannot spend all of our time and efforts on one offender.”
The video below, published by News24, takes a closer look at the prison cell and bathroom used by Oscar Pistorius during his brief spell behind bars.
Meanwhile, there’s still a chance Pistorius could head back to prison as the court will decide his fate Thursday as to whether his verdict changes to that of murder.
Update: The South African Supreme Court of Appeal found Paralympic gold medalist Oscar Pistorius guilty of murder Thursday morning. The previous conviction of manslaughter has been thrown out and Pistorius will now await sentencing.
[Photo Kgosi Mampuru II prison by Charlie Shoemaker/Getty Images News]
