Cape Town - The Correctional Services Department on Monday denied reports that it had already prepared a cell for paralympian Oscar Pistorius at the Kgosi Mampuru II prison.
“Any insinuation that the department has prepared a cell to incarcerate anyone who has not yet been sentenced to a jail term is both malicious and irresponsible,” spokesman Mthunzi Mhaga said.
Eyewitness News reported that a cell had already been prepared for Pistorius at the prison, in the same section that housed Czech fugitive Radovan Krejcir.
The broadcaster said it had learnt from a correctional services official that the section was the most securely guarded section outside of the maximum security division (C Max) of the prison.
According to EWN, the section had six single cells and Krejcir was the only other inmate there - because he was considered a high security risk.
The official reportedly said the section was guarded by the prison's special task force and that access was strictly controlled.
Mhaga said Pistorius had not yet been sentenced and questioned how anyone could one claim a cell had been prepared.
“That official has to be dealt with accordingly.”
The High Court in Pretoria heard on Friday during closing arguments that Pistorius should get either 10 years in jail or house arrest and community service.
He would be sentenced on Tuesday.
On September 12, Pistorius was convicted of culpable homicide for the Valentine's Day 2013 shooting of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp in his Pretoria townhouse. The court found him not guilty of murdering Steenkamp.
Sapa