PRETORIA - The lead detective in 'Blade Runner' Oscar Pistorius’ murder investigation was taken off the case on Thursday after it emerged he was facing seven attempted murder charges for opening fire on a minibus full of passengers.
Citing chief of police Riah Phiyega, local media said Hilton Botha, who endured a torrid time on the stand at the Paralympic and Olympic track star’s bail hearing this week, had been removed from the case pending an internal police probe.
He has not been suspended from the police, the reports said.
Charges against Botha over the 2011 shooting were initially dropped but the National Prosecuting Authority told Reuters they were reinstated on Feb. 4 -- 10 days before Pistorius shot girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp in his Pretoria home.
