Now Pistorius Cop Charged With Murder Attempt

Hilton Botha was arrested in 2011
By Matt Cantor,  Newser Staff
Posted Feb 21, 2013 3:15 AM CST
Now Pistorius Cop Charged With Murder Attempt
Investigating officer Hilton Botha sits inside the court witness box during the Oscar Pistorius bail hearing at the magistrate court in Pretoria, South Africa, Wednesday, Feb. 20, 2013.   (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)

As questions arise about his claims against Oscar Pistorius, the lead officer in the athlete's case is facing some serious troubles of his own. Detective Hilton Botha has been charged with seven counts of attempted murder, the BBC reports. The charges had been dropped after a 2011 arrest; yesterday, they were leveled again, Sky News reports.

Botha's arrest came after he and two other officers in a government vehicle allegedly opened fire on a packed minibus. They were said to be drunk. Given the charges, "we can take action and see if we remove him from the investigation or if he stays," says a rep for Pistorius' prosecutors. They didn't know about Botha's charges when he took the witness stand, they say. Botha is due for a court date in May, a police rep says. (More Hilton Botha stories.)

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