A Scottish institution on Monday has announced that it plans to strip jailed Paralympian Oscar Pistorius of his honorary degree.
The degree, which came from Strathclyde University in 2012, was taken away from him after he was convicted of culpable homicide over the killing of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp. According to Agence France-Presse, he was sentenced to five years in jail by a South African court last October.
"We have revoked the honorary degree awarded to Oscar Pistorius following his conviction for culpable homicide," a university spokesman said.
According to Susan Swarbrick of Herald Scotland, the chiefs of Strathclyde University had been criticized for not removing the athlete's honorary doctorate after he was convicted. A South African model and law graduate, 29-year-old Steenkamp died after Pistorius shot her in Pretoria back on Valentine's Day in 2013.
AFP reported that the "Blade Runner," who had both legs amputated below the knee at 11 months old due to a congenital defect, made history at the 2012 London Olympics. He was the first double-leg amputee to compete in both the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Swarbrick reported that Pistorius was awarded the honorary degree to recognize his outstanding success in the world of sport.
"He was awarded an honorary degree by Strathclyde University later that year and travelled to Glasgow to receive the award," AFP wrote.
Some people were happy that his honorary degree was taken away. One of them was Susan Jack of Glasgow Women's Aid, a domestic abuse charity.
"I'm delighted the university has finally acted," Jack said. "He is not an appropriate role model."
AFP reported that the athlete's case could go to South Africa's Supreme Court of Appeal, where Pistorius could face a harsher sentence.
The athlete is not the only one in his family to deal with South African law. According to Chill Harrison of KpopStarz, his brother, Carl Pistorius, faced charges of reckless and negligent driving by the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) in that country.
"The case stemmed from the collision with another vehicle that Carl Pistorius was involved in," Harrison wrote. "Oscar Pistorius' brother was freed by rescuers from the total wreck with the use of the jaws of life device. The other driver was also rushed to the hospital for multiple injuries."
However, Velekhaya Mgobhozi of the NPA revealed to Harrison that although a summons was prepared for Carl, it was held off so the police can finish their investigation.
"The NPA took a decision to have a look at the docket again, to have a look at the evidence and decided to send it back for investigation because more evidence was needed," Mgobhozi said.
According to Harrison, Pistorius's brother failed to submit his affidavit recalling his version of the collision, prompting police to file a case for reckless and negligent driving against him.
