Oscar Pistorius bail hearing heading into fourth day

On Feb. 21 Oscar Pistorius' defense attorney Barry Roux told the BBC's Andrew Harding that he doesn't think a decision on bail will be made in the case being heard in South Africa until Friday, since "we started late."

The late start on Thursday in the bail hearing for murdered model Reeva Steenkamp's lover was due to late breaking news about the lead detective in the case, Hilton Botha.

Botha was involved in a 2011 incident involving seven passengers in a taxi and several fellow officers that is now drawing new attention by the National Prosecutors Authority in Pretoria.

Originally the investigation led to the case being dropped, but on Wednesday it was announced that seven attempted murder charges were being reinstated against the detective and his fellow officers in the matter according to The Telegraph.

The Telegraph's Aislinn Laing, reporting from South Africa live, points out that there is a certain cynicism about the news of the 2011 event resurfacing as the detective appears to jeopardize the prosecutor's case on Wednesday, with his bumbling statements under cross examination.

Perhaps somebody has decided that it might be better if he wasn't in charge of the case."

Oscar Pistorius' attorney hoped the same thing, using his time during the third day of the bail hearing to try and use the detective's statements on the stand about his client against him.

But the judge in the bail hearing matter must decide from the evidence before him, more than from whether a detective is less convincing due to language barriers or failure to move as quickly on investigative matters as one might want.

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