BEIJING, Feb. 22 (Xinhuanet) -- South Africa's police chief has appointed its top detective as the new lead investigator in the Oscar Pistorius murder case.

National police commissioner Riah Phiyega said, "I have decided to assign this very important matter, this very important investigation, under the leadership and stewardship of the divisional commissioner of detective services, Lieutenant General Moonoo. He is the most senior detective in the subs environment. This matter shall receive attention at a national level and this is why I’m announcing the person who’ll be leading this. "

The decision to appoint a new lead investigator comes after it emerged the initial lead detective, Hilton Botha, is facing his own attempted murder charges. Detective Botha has been removed from the case pending the result of an investigation into seven counts of attempted murder.

Meanwhile, sportswear giant Nike has frozen its contract with Pistorius pending the outcome of his case. They say the athlete should be "afforded due process". Other companies that have sponsorship deals with Pistorius, including British telecommunications firm BT, US sunglasses maker Oakley and French designer Thierry Mugler, have all declined to comment on their contracts.

A decision on Pistorius’s bail hearing is expected on Friday.

(Source: CNTV.cn)