- Police officer Richard Smit, accused of shooting and killing his girlfriend, has appeared in the Piketberg Magistrate's Court.
- The court heard arguments around Smit's bail application.
- Should he be awarded bail, Smit will relocate to Strandfontein in Cape Town.
A Western Cape police officer, accused of gunning down his girlfriend in front of her family, will have to wait another month to hear if he is eligible for bail.
The bail application of Richard Smit continued in the Piketberg Magistrate's Court on Tuesday.
During the proceedings, chairperson of the Strandfontein Community Policing Forum, Sandy Shuter, was cross-examined and re-examined. Shuter testified that the community objected to Smit's relocation to the Cape Town suburb.
This comes after the accused provided his brother's residential address in Strandfontein, where he would live should he be granted bail, said National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila.
The community started an online petition to oppose bail and Smit's relocation.
Smit's bail application was postponed to 4 July, for further address by parties, and for judgment on 19 July.
The former police orderly, who was stationed at the same court, is charged with the murder of his girlfriend Natasha Booise.
He also faces two counts of attempted murder, discharging a firearm in a built-up area, and the handling of a firearm while under the influence of a substance which has an intoxicating or narcotic effect, said Ntabazalila.
Billy Claasen, executive director of the Rural and Farmworkers Development Organisation, in a statement said he believed there was enough evidence to deny bail in the case.
Claasen said:
He added: "We really hope and pray that this will be the last day of this lengthy bail application. This needs to come to an end now and this man needs to answer for his deeds."
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