South African Paralympian Oscar Pistorius has been released from prison after serving a day less than one year of his five-year sentence, according to his lawyer.

Pistorius’ lawyer, Brian Webber, confirmed the athlete had walked free from Kgosi Mampuru II prison in Pretoria, and would now stay at his uncle’s home under correctional supervision, NBC reported.

Pistorius, 28, was sentenced to a five-year-term in October 2014 for the culpable homicide of his model-girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.

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His release into house arrest was flagged last week when a parole board announced its decision.

The parole board “approved the placement of offender Oscar Pistorius under correctional supervision as from 20 October 2015,” the department said in a statement.

Pistrious shot Steenkamp through a door on Valentines Day 2013. Photo: Getty

“The parole board considered all submissions, including the offender’s profile report, the directives of the Parole Review Board and the submission of the victim’s family.”

Pistorius had initially been denied parole in August, when South African justice minister Michael Masutha made a last-minute intervention, and the case was referred for review.

However, after meeting with Ms Steenkamp’s family last week, the parole board decided to allow Pistorius house arrest.

Ms Steenkamp’s parents said Pistorius had previously contested any parole.

“They are not surprised at all [about attempts for release] — it was expected,” Tania Koen, a lawyer acting on behalf of Ms Steenkamp’s family said in June.

“But it doesn’t change anything in their lives. Their daughter is still not coming back. Whether Pistorius is incarcerated or released on parole, their daughter is still gone.”

Pistorius shot Ms Steenkamp on Valentine’s Day 2013. He argued he thought Ms Steenkamp was an intruder in the toilet, and therefore fatally shot her through a closed toilet door.

He was sentenced by the court on October 21st 2014.