Oscar Pistorius could be freed within weeks after serving half his sentence

Oscar Pistorius, the South African Paralympian convicted of murder, could leave prison within weeks if a parole board decides on Friday to release him halfway through a 13-year sentence for killing his girlfriend.

The parole hearing will take place in a prison in the administrative capital of Pretoria and the decision is likely to be the final chapter in a harrowing story that attracted worldwide attention.

“The board must determine whether the purpose of imprisonment has been served,” said Singabakho Nxumalo, the spokesperson for the Department of Correctional Services.

In February 2013, the the Olympic and Paralympic sprinter killed his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, a model and law graduate, when he fired four times through the bathroom door of his high-security Pretoria house.

State prosecutors accused Pistorius, 36, of deliberately killing Steenkamp in a fit of jealousy and anger. The athlete, who frequently broke down in court, denied the accusation, saying he was deeply in love with her and believed he was protecting her when he shot through the toilet door because he thought an intruder was hiding there.

The trial judge found there was no evidence Pistorius had wanted to kill Steenkamp but found him guilty of the lesser crime of culpable homicide, as he had acted “too hastily and used excessive force”.

The athlete was later convicted of murder after an appeal by prosecutors and his sentence increased to 13 years behind bars. Offenders in South Africa are automatically eligible for parole consideration after serving half of their sentence.

The initial verdict and sentence – six years in jail – prompted outrage among campaigners against domestic violence and surprise among many legal experts.

The trial judge was