REUTERS
The wife of murder accused Hector Britts says that while he appears to be holding a gun in this picture, it is a cigarette lighter made to look like a gun.
Durban – Murder accused Hector Britts smiles and poses with what appear to be firearms in a series of photographs that have gone viral on social media networks.
The photographs have sparked outrage from his family and the family of his alleged victim, Craigh Botha.
Some of the pictures showed Britts, “gun” in hand, posing with young women.
Botha’s brother, Andrew, said on Thursday that he was angry and disappointed.
“I am worried for those girls,” he added.
The photographs had been handed over to police, public prosecutor Blackie Swart and to private investigator Brad Nathanson.
Britts, 33, stands accused of shooting Botha, 38, at the Rocca Bar nightclub in Durban earlier this month.
He handed himself over to police in the days after the shooting, while Botha was fighting for his life in hospital, and was originally to be charged with attempted murder.
This was changed to murder after Botha died of organ failure a few days later.
Britts was working as the club’s “security manager” on the night of the shooting, when Botha was a patron.
Investigating officer Selvan Naidoo said in an affidavit that has been brought before the court that he interviewed Botha in hospital before he died.
“It was confirmed that Mr Hector Britts had shot Mr Botha,” the affidavit reads.
But, in his own affidavit, Britts says Botha attacked him and that he was still reeling in shock when “somebody shot the deceased”.
He has said that he does not own a gun, and does not know who shot Botha.
Britts appeared in the Durban Magistrate’s Court this week when, despite the State’s opposition, he was released on bail of R10 000.
One of the pictures shows Britts in a suit and tie, surrounded by other men dressed similarly, and brandishing what appear to be guns in both hands.
“That was taken off my Facebook page and I don’t appreciate that,” the accused’s wife, Lauren, the mother of three of his children, said on Thursday.
That photograph had been taken on the couple’s wedding day and the “guns” were toys and part of the theme, she said.
“They belonged to our son.”
The other pictures were taken at a themed party at Rocca Bar.
“They host lots of those parties,” said Lauren, “That’s actually a cigarette lighter in his hand.”
Britts is scheduled to come before a magistrate again next month.
The Mercury
