Pistorius to be released from prison to house arrest on Oct 20

Double amputee athlete Oscar Pistorius will be released from prison and moved to house arrest on October 20, South Africa's Department of Corrections said on Thursday.

The parole board's ruling comes after an initial decision to release him in August was cancelled.

"The Kgosi Mampuru II Correctional Supervision and Parole Board (CSPB) today, 15 October 2015, approved the placement of offender Oscar Pistorius under correctional supervision as from 20 October 2015," a statement from the South African Department of Correctional Services said on Thursday.

"The parole board met in Pretoria for the second time following a directive of the Parole Review Board, which set aside its earlier decision to place Oscar Pistorius under correctional supervision because it was prematurely made."

The Olympic runner was sentenced to prison for five years for manslaughter for killing girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp. He has served nearly a year of his jail term.

He shot Steenkamp through in his house through a locked bathroom door thinking she was an intruder.

He will be now be moved to "correctional supervision", where he will live under certain conditions.

The prosecution appeal wants him to be tried for murder. The case is expected to be heard on 3 November.

The "Blade Runner" came into limelight when he represented South Africa at the Olympics and Paralympics in London in 2012.