You hunted her down, prosecutor tells the accused
“MOENIE, Makka!” (“Don’t, Makka!”) THIS was the dying request of a Piketberg woman as she begged her policeman boyfriend to put down his firearm before he shot and killed her in cold blood, the Western Cape High Court heard yesterday.
After months of delays, a State witnesses in the murder trial of Natasha Lee-Grey Booise, 32, finally took the stand to tell the court what happened on the fateful day when the single mom was gunned down by her boyfriend, Richard “Makka” Smit.
Natasha was shot and killed on January 2, 2020, allegedly because she chose to spend the day with her family from Paarl instead of with her boyfriend.
It was revealed that Smit shot her with his service pistol while off duty and CCTV footage of the shooting was subsequently shared on social media.
According to the indictment, he faces six charges which include murder, assault, attempted murder, pointing of a firearm, driving while drunk and using his gun while drunk.
Smit pleaded guilty to all the charges.
Naeemah “Nikita” Titus took the stand yesterday, saying she was Smit’s drinking buddy and was in the car when Natasha was shot.
She said along with her sister, she noticed Smit trying to reach Natasha and saw her walk over to the vehicle.
She explained after an argument with Natasha’s cousin, Roslyn Kaiman, that she heard Natasha say, “moenie, Makka”, before shots rang out.
State prosecutor advocate Rene Uys presented a series of WhatsApp texts showing that Smit had continually asked Natasha where she was.
“You are a clever man. You worked as a court orderly and you have heard evidence. You know what it means if the State can prove premeditated murder. You hunted her down,” stated Uys.
The trial continues.