South Africa judge lifts travel ban on Oscar Pistorius

PRETORIA (CNN) -- South African track star Oscar Pistorius, charged with murder in the slaying of girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, is once more allowed to travel overseas after a judge lifted a bail condition Thursday restricting his movements.

Judge Bert Bam said Pistorius could hand over his passport to his attorney, Barry Roux, and was entitled to use it to travel outside South Africa.

Bam said he saw no reason why Pistorius "should be forbidden to leave South Africa if invited to compete overseas."

Pistorius should report his itinerary a week before leaving and hand his travel documents back over to his lawyer within 24 hours of returning to South Africa, Bam said at Pretoria's North Gauteng High Court.

The athlete may also now drink alcohol and return home to the scene of the crime, Bam ruled.

He said the magistrate had been "wrong" in imposing the bail restrictions last month.

The new order represents a victory for the athlete's legal team, who went to court to request more lenient terms for his bail.

Authorities charged Pistorius with premeditated murder after he shot Steenkamp in the bathroom of his Pretoria home on February 14.

Pistorius, who spent eight days in jail before being freed on bail on February 22, did not attend Thursday's hearing.

State prosecutor Gerrie Nel told the court on Thursday that he plans to serve Pistorius with an indictment on June 4.

No trial date has yet been set.

The Olympic and Paralympic sprinter, known as the "Blade Runner" for competing on carbon fiber blades fitted to the stumps of his amputated legs, says he thought Steenkamp was an intruder.

Prosecutors argue that he intentionally killed her after a loud argument.