Africa-Press – South-Africa. A former Piketberg policeman accused of murdering his girlfriend, Natasha Booise, while drunk will see his case moved to the Western Cape High Court.
On Tuesday, Richard “Makka” Smit, made a brief appearance in the Piketberg Magistrate’s Court to get the details of the State’s case against him.
The case was transferred to the Western Cape High Court for pretrial in November. These are usually short appearances that checks the trial readiness of a case.
Smit used to be an orderly in the court he appeared in, but he resigned from the police on the eve of his internal disciplinary hearing relating to the shooting.
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He also faces two charges of attempted murder after he allegedly shot at Booise’s friend, Roslin Kaaiman, and pointed a gun at Kaaiman again while she ran for cover.
In addition, he was charged for driving with a blood alcohol content over the legal limit and handling a firearm while intoxicated.
According to the indictment, Booise was walking with family and friends in Piketberg on 2 January this year when Smit pulled up to her in his blue Renault Sandero.
There were two other women in the car with him. “He [Smit] demanded to know why she had not answered her phone,” the indictment read.
He grabbed Booise’s hand, and they started arguing.
Booise pulled away and walked away from the car, but Smit allegedly fired several shots at her and Kaaiman.
Kaaiman ran away and took cover at a nearby filling station, but Smit followed her and allegedly pointed his gun at her again.
Police seized Booise’s firearm and took him for a blood alcohol test.
According to post-mortem results, Booise died from multiple gunshot wounds.
She was 32.
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