Advocate Malesela Teffo: 5 Times the Lawyer Had Tongues Wagging During the Senzo Meyiwa Murder Trial
The former defence lawyer in the Senzo Meyiwa murder trial certainly left a mark on South Africans. Advocate Malesela Teffo was once considered a champion of the people before his painful fall from grace. Love or hate him, but one thing is undeniable, the controversial lawyer makes for great entertainment that left Mzansi both enthralled and angered.
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In honour of Advocate Teffo’s absence from the trial on Monday, 5 September, Briefly News takes a look at the lawyer’s most memorable and messed up moments during the murder trial.
Source: Twitter
1. Teffo’s on-camera arrest
Shortly after court adjourned on Thursday, 28 April, members of the South African Police Service (SAPS) stormed into the courtroom and handcuffed the advocate. Journalists and camera crew were still in the building at the time and captured Teffo’s arrest on live television.
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He claimed that he was unaware of the reason behind his arrest and accused Police Minister Bheki Cele of hatching a plan to “embarrass” him. According to IOL, Teffo repeated that the police officers had not read him his rights.
The advocate also claimed that he was unaware of what he was being arrested for and the charges. However, it was later discovered that Teffo allegedly failed to appear in court for an assault case.
2. A witness with a secret identity
From the early days of the trial, Advocate Teffo was adamant that his clients were not the murderers in the case but were rather those who were present the night Meyiwa was murdered. To back up his claims, the defence lawyer threatened that a witness would testify and expose the truth behind the soccer star’s death.
The promise kept South Africans on the edge of their seats as they waited for the witness’ identity to be revealed. However, according to News24, Teffo claimed that the eyewitness would testify that Meyiwa’s ex-girlfriend Kelly Khumalo was the real killer.
The advocate claimed that the singer accidentally shot the former Bafana Bafana captain with the gun belonging to Longwe Twala, the son of music producer Sello “Chicco”. Sello was interviewed about a separate story and claimed that his son and Khumalo had nothing to do with the death.
“They know who killed Senzo, my son knows, Kelly knows, everybody knows,” he said during the interview.
3. The advocate’s sudden withdrawal
Teffo decided he wanted out of the trial in July and claimed that he was being harassed for representing the accused. He claimed that one of his clients was being physically assaulted and that Presiding Judge Tshifhiwa Maumela was victimising him.
After reading a letter related to the living conditions, that he described as “inhumane” at Kgosi Mampuru Correctional Services, Teffo said he would be withdrawing from the trial. The advocate claimed that a plan was created to have him removed from the trial in President Cyril Ramaphosa’s office, according to EWN.
4. Teffo’s list of demands
A mere week later, Teffo claimed that his withdrawal from the case was nothing more than a ruse to “confuse his enemy”. He decided he wanted to be reinstated back on trial to represent the four accused.
Aside from asking to be reinstated, the advocate returned with a list of demands. Some of his demands included the firing of Minister Cele, State Advocate George Baloyi's removal from the case, and for the Gauteng Director of Public Prosecutions Andrew Chauke to withdraw the earlier charges against him.
Teffo also used his list of demands to call for Khumalo to be prosecuted in the murder trial. Unfortunately for the advocate, Attorney Timothy Thobane has since assumed the role, The Citizen reported.
In the letter along with the demands, Teffo accused Judge Maumela of working with sangomas to ensure his “collapse” in court. The advocate claimed that he began having nightmares and was treated worse in the courtroom due to the involvement of witchcraft.
5. Serious unrest over the lawyer
Following Teffo’s strange behaviour in the courtroom, he is facing disbarment and believes the country would revolt to ensure he remains a lawyer. He claimed there would be “serious unrest” if he had to be removed from the list of attorneys.
The Legal Practice Council (LPC) argued there were at least 22 allegations of misconduct against Teffo. The advocate clapped back at the LPC and compared it to a “kangaroo” court, News24 reported.
Senzo Meyiwa: Teffo’s application to end case scrapped, 5th accused’s lawyer claims prejudice over 2nd docket
In a related matter, Briefly News also reported the National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP) has denied Advocate Malesela Teffo’s request to end the prosecution of the men accused of Senzo Meyiwa’s murder.
The trial resumed at the Gauteng High Court on Monday, 5 September. Before withdrawing from the case, the defence lawyer, who was representing four of the five murder-accused, asked NDPP Advocate Shamila Batohi to withdraw the charges against his clients in July.
He appealed to Batohi to exercise her powers under Section 6 (b) of the Criminal Procedure
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Source: Briefly News
