Senzo Meyiwa Murder Trial: Adv Teffo Says Case Is Being Heard by the Wrong Court, Tensions Rise in Proceedings

• The Senzo Meyiwa murder trial gotten heated due to defence lawyer Advocate Malesela Teffo arguing with the judge
• The defence lawyer said the murder case is being heard in the wrong court and challenged the jurisdiction
• The judge warned Teffo against making demands and raised his voice while telling him that he would not enter into any debate

PRETORIA - The Senzo Meyiwa murder trial resumed on Monday 13 June and got off to a rocky start when the defence lawyer for four of the five accused said the case is being heard in the wrong court.

Advocate Malesela Teffo challenged the jurisdiction and also claimed that two of the accused were arrested and imprisoned unlawfully.

The advocate began his rant by accusing Judge Tshifhiwa Maumela of prohibiting defence counsel from continuing with proceedings and being disrespectful. Teffo claimed that the High Court in Pretoria does not have the jurisdiction to entertain the case, News24 reported.

Read also

Senzo Meyiwa murder trial: Second docket that names Kelly Khumalo has no merit, says public prosecutions

He also argued that proceedings were violated and claimed that only the Minister of Justice could transfer the matter to a different jurisdiction. However, the National Director of Public Prosecutions called to have the case heard in Pretoria rather than Johannesburg.

Earlier, while waiting for feedback regarding the second docket in the case, a request by Teffo to make his submissions before Advocate Zandile Mshololo was denied by Maumela. The judge ruled that Mshololo had to make her presentation first and warned Teffo against making demands.

Despite the ruling, Teffo continued with his argument that he should be allowed to speak first. However, the issue quickly turned heated and Maumela raised his voice, telling Teffo that they would not debate on the matter, according to IOL.

Read also

Senzo Meyiwa murder trial: Case postponed as second docket names new suspects, different version of crime

SA reacts to court proceedings

Social media users weighed in on the progress of the murder trial, with people having mixed views on Teffo's tactics:

@NNtsuba said:

“Eish Adv Teffo was coming alright and I guess the comments made him big headed. He sounds more like a shop steward than an advocate now. He can't demand chambers sommer kort kort and he love chambers this one, today no no no I viewed him in another light. Nee Here.”

@Billystrigar commented:

“I like this Teffo.”

@Dee0015_ wrote:

“Teffo is all over the show now, looks like that arrest stole his confidence.”

@Spit2Poison posted:

“I saw the bodyguard, the one standing next to the one with the green head wrap shaking his head in disagreement when Teffo was trying to explain why the suspects must go home and not to prison. Eish Adv Teffo sometimes he gets confused with some things.”

Read also

Jacob Zuma given green light to prosecute Advocate Billy Downer privately, NPA says he has no grounds

@Zeus77670494 added:

“This will only delay the case indefinitely. They can’t keep adding things.”

@Spit2Poison wrote:

“The Judge is pissed off now, its Adv Teffo again.”

Senzo Meyiwa murder trial: 2nd docket that names Kelly Khumalo has no merit, says defence lawyer

In a related matter, Briefly News also reported that apparently, the second docket in the Senzo Meyiwa murder trial does not hold any merit; at least, that's according to defence lawyer for accused number five, Advocate Zandile Mshololo.

The National Prosecuting Authority's Director of Public Prosecutions in Gauteng said in a letter that it never made the decision to charge those implicated in the second docket because it was an internal option.

Source: Briefly News