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| Oscar Pistorius detective Hilton Botha facing attempted murder charges | Oscar Pistorius detective Hilton Botha facing attempted murder charges |
| (about 1 month later) | |
| The prosecution of Oscar Pistorius has taken a dramatic turn after it emerged the detective leading the case is facing seven charges of attempted murder. | The prosecution of Oscar Pistorius has taken a dramatic turn after it emerged the detective leading the case is facing seven charges of attempted murder. |
| A spokesperson for the South African police service confirmed on Thursday morning that Hilton Botha and two other officers were accused of firing at a taxi carrying seven passengers during an allegedly drunken incident in 2011. | A spokesperson for the South African police service confirmed on Thursday morning that Hilton Botha and two other officers were accused of firing at a taxi carrying seven passengers during an allegedly drunken incident in 2011. |
| The revelation of charges against Botha presents additional difficulties for the prosecution and raises further questions about Botha, who crumbled under cross-examination in court on Wednesday, when his assertions about Pistorius's guilt unravelled one by one. | The revelation of charges against Botha presents additional difficulties for the prosecution and raises further questions about Botha, who crumbled under cross-examination in court on Wednesday, when his assertions about Pistorius's guilt unravelled one by one. |
| There are unconfirmed reports that Botha might be removed from the Pistorius investigation. | There are unconfirmed reports that Botha might be removed from the Pistorius investigation. |
| When the bail hearing resumed on Thursday the chief prosecutor, Gerrie Nel, began by explaining the attempted murder charges to the court, stating he wanted to put matters on the record. "The case [against Botha] was originally dropped but now it has been reinstated," Nel said. | When the bail hearing resumed on Thursday the chief prosecutor, Gerrie Nel, began by explaining the attempted murder charges to the court, stating he wanted to put matters on the record. "The case [against Botha] was originally dropped but now it has been reinstated," Nel said. |
| Botha was not present at the time, and the hearing was briefly adjourned as officials looked for him. | Botha was not present at the time, and the hearing was briefly adjourned as officials looked for him. |
| Nel joked "there goes my case" as Botha was brought back into the court. The detective, who was not questioned about the 2009 incident, was asked to clarify some of his statements to the court regarding the evidence in the Pistorius case. | Nel joked "there goes my case" as Botha was brought back into the court. The detective, who was not questioned about the 2009 incident, was asked to clarify some of his statements to the court regarding the evidence in the Pistorius case. |
| South African news reports said at the time of the alleged shooting in 2011 that Botha and the other officers were pursuing a man accused of murdering and dismembering a woman before dumping her body parts down a drain. | South African news reports said at the time of the alleged shooting in 2011 that Botha and the other officers were pursuing a man accused of murdering and dismembering a woman before dumping her body parts down a drain. |
| The officers were arrested in 2011 and are due to appear in court in May. A police spokesman, Neville Malila, told the news website Eye Witness News the charges were initially dropped but later reinstated. | The officers were arrested in 2011 and are due to appear in court in May. A police spokesman, Neville Malila, told the news website Eye Witness News the charges were initially dropped but later reinstated. |
| "There was a decision taken by the DPP's office to charge the members, each one of them with seven counts of attempted murder. That was the number of people that were in the taxi," Malila said. | "There was a decision taken by the DPP's office to charge the members, each one of them with seven counts of attempted murder. That was the number of people that were in the taxi," Malila said. |
| The prosecution said they were unaware of the charges against the detective when they put him on the stand to explain why Pistorius, who is charged with murder of his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, should not be given bail. | The prosecution said they were unaware of the charges against the detective when they put him on the stand to explain why Pistorius, who is charged with murder of his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, should not be given bail. |
| Malila said police learned on Wednesday that the director of public prosecutions (DPP) has reinstated the charges against Botha. He said police were waiting for details from his case file from the prosecutor. | Malila said police learned on Wednesday that the director of public prosecutions (DPP) has reinstated the charges against Botha. He said police were waiting for details from his case file from the prosecutor. |
| The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said the charges against Botha were reinstated on 4 February, 10 days before Pistorius shot dead Steenkamp, 29, in a locked toilet at his Pretoria home. | The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said the charges against Botha were reinstated on 4 February, 10 days before Pistorius shot dead Steenkamp, 29, in a locked toilet at his Pretoria home. |
| "The decision to reinstate was taken on 4 February, way before the issue of Pistorius came to light or the murder of Reeva was committed," an NPA spokesman, Medupe Simasiku, told Reuters. "It's completely unrelated to this trial." | "The decision to reinstate was taken on 4 February, way before the issue of Pistorius came to light or the murder of Reeva was committed," an NPA spokesman, Medupe Simasiku, told Reuters. "It's completely unrelated to this trial." |
| The police force said they had chosen Botha, an officer for 24 years and detective for 16, in spite of the charges because of his experience. "[Botha] is innocent until proven guilty," Malila said. "[He] was chosen by the station to do the investigation due to the fact that he is a senior." | The police force said they had chosen Botha, an officer for 24 years and detective for 16, in spite of the charges because of his experience. "[Botha] is innocent until proven guilty," Malila said. "[He] was chosen by the station to do the investigation due to the fact that he is a senior." |
| The revelations come after serious failings in the prosecution case against Pistorius were exposed on Wednesday. | The revelations come after serious failings in the prosecution case against Pistorius were exposed on Wednesday. |
| Botha struggled during defence cross-examination after he wrongly claimed to have found boxes of testosterone in Pistorius's bedroom and admitted that police had no evidence contradicting the athlete's version of events. | Botha struggled during defence cross-examination after he wrongly claimed to have found boxes of testosterone in Pistorius's bedroom and admitted that police had no evidence contradicting the athlete's version of events. |
| The detective has been a central figure in the case against Pistorius, the gold medal-winning Olympic and Paralympic athlete known as the Blade Runner. Pistorious has admitted shooting dead Steenkamp while she was in the bathroom of his home on 14 February, but denies a charge of premeditated murder, claiming he mistook her for an intruder. | The detective has been a central figure in the case against Pistorius, the gold medal-winning Olympic and Paralympic athlete known as the Blade Runner. Pistorious has admitted shooting dead Steenkamp while she was in the bathroom of his home on 14 February, but denies a charge of premeditated murder, claiming he mistook her for an intruder. |
| Botha has been strongly criticised by Pistorious's family, who have been closely following the athlete's bail hearing from the court in Pretoria. | Botha has been strongly criticised by Pistorious's family, who have been closely following the athlete's bail hearing from the court in Pretoria. |
| The detective was forced to correct the testosterone allegation, admitting under cross-examination that he could not be certain of the contents. | The detective was forced to correct the testosterone allegation, admitting under cross-examination that he could not be certain of the contents. |
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