Police to probe Pistorius cop's charges

2013-02-21 09:26

Hilton Botha (Picture: AP)

Pretoria - The police will launch an internal probe into attempted murder charges against investigating officer Hilton Botha, a spokesperson told eNCA on Thursday.

Police Neville Malila said the probe into Botha may lead to his suspension.

Botha is the investigating officer in the Pistorius murder case.

The policeman is facing seven charges of attempted murder for allegedly firing shots at a minibus taxi carrying seven occupants. It has also been claimed that Botha was drunk at the time of the incident.

But on Thursday morning, the officer told eNCA that the incident was as a result of his investigation into the murder of Denise Stratford, whose body was stuffed into a drain.

“My blood was never tested for alcohol in the aftermath of the shooting. I wasn't drunk,” Botha said.

He said shots were fired at the taxi after it “tried to push us off the road”. Botha told Eyewitness News he shot at the taxi’s wheels and that though he couldn’t see who was in the vehicle, "no one was hurt".

Botha was first charged back in 2009 but the charges were then provisionally withdrawn. The matter was then referred to the director of public prosecutions (DPP).

Botha: “I don't understand why the case was reinstated [on Wednesday]. I can only think this is linked to my work on Oscar Pistorius.”

The policeman testified at the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday at Pistorius’s bail hearing.

Pistorius is charged with killing his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp at his luxury Pretoria home on Valentine's Day.

Botha and two other officers are due to appear in court in May, Eyewitness News reports.

Visit News24's Oscar Pistorius Special Report.

- News24