Oscar cop: Why I've quit the force

Within hours of resigning from the police, the former lead investigator in the Oscar Pistorius murder case lifted the lid on the lack of support from top police officials.

In an exclusive interview with The Times, Warrant Officer Hilton Botha last night opened up about his shock resignation less than a month after being booted off the Pistorius investigation.

National police commissioner Riah Phiyega removed him from the case just hours after it became public that attempted murder charges against him were being reinstated, and a day after he was savaged on the stand by Pistorius' lawyer.

Advocate Barry Roux tried to force Botha into admitting to bungling his initial investigation of the murder of Pistorius' girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp.

Botha spoke last night about the intense and "unnecessary" pressure he had been under.

"Right from the beginning they [police management] knew how serious and high-profile this case was. They could have helped a lot earlier than they did. Having a senior general on the case would have seen things being done and reports completed a lot sooner.

"I don't need this [pressure] in my life. If I can get out of it I am going to."

Botha, who has been with the police service for 26 years, 14 as a detective, said he would become a loss-control manager and head of security at a Pretoria company.

He will begin his new job on Monday.

Speaking about the initial hours and days of the Pistorius investigation, Botha said if he had to do it all over again, he would proceed in the same way.

"Everything I did was above board, in line with best international policing practices. The few [people] that were there on the scene in the early hours of the investigation and for the following four days were good. We worked with what we had and did the best we could."

Botha said the problems came at the bail hearing.

"A bail application is like a poker game. You cannot show all your cards.

''It was meant to be a bail hearing, not a trial within a trial. There are certain things that happened and what was said in court did not happen.

"If it was handled like a proper bail application, there would not have been so many questions. At bail applications you do not have all the information such as forensics. I did not have all the information.''

Asked if he felt he had been left out in the cold, Botha said it was too late to worry about that. "I really do not know why they did not attach more senior detectives at the time. I can only guess, but what will that help?

"I'm moving on and I'm happy for the new opportunity.

"I enjoyed my time as a cop. [But] it is hard work and affects your family, and the time has now come to move on."

Botha said his new job had been secured recently.

"Like all cops, with our salaries, you keep an eye out. If you get the gap, you take it.

"I have a son in matric whose university fees need to be paid next year. My family are happy. At least I will not have to leave at 4am like I did when it came to the Oscar killing."

Asked about the killing, Botha, one of only two murder and robbery detectives at Boschkop police station, said on walking through Pistorius' home, he could see what had happened. "We did the walk several times . right from the beginning I did not believe him.

"When we went through the house we knew there was only one way the [killing] could have happened and I immediately told my commanding officer to arrest him."

Asked about the motive, Botha laughed: "I am off the case, out of the cops and cannot say anything more. Let's just say the case is strong and is in capable hands."

Gauteng police spokesman Brigadier Neville Malila said of Botha's resignation: "He wants to pursue other prospects. He resigned from Wednesday. He went through an exit interview, which was looked at by provincial police management and has been released."

Malila dismissed Botha's assertions that he was not provided with assistance.

"He was given the case because he had the necessary skills and experience.

"This is a big loss. You do not simply kick a detective with 26 years' experience, who is one of the best, into the bushes," Malila said.

But a colleague of Botha's said: "Instead of supporting him, [police management] tossed him out. It was the final straw."

SA Police Union general secretary Oscar Skommere said: "Police management must be held accountable [for the investigation]. Botha did not appoint himself."