Advocate Malesela Teffo left the Pretoria High Court in utter dismay when he announced his decision to withdraw from the Senzo Meyiwa murder trial. Why did Advocate Teffo withdraw from Senzo Meyiwa murder trial? On Tuesday, Teffo, his fellow defence colleague Advocate Zandile Mshololo and the State, represented by Advocate George Baloyi, returned to the…
Advocate Malesela Teffo left the Pretoria High Court in utter dismay when he announced his decision to withdraw from the Senzo Meyiwa murder trial. Why did Advocate Teffo withdraw from Senzo Meyiwa murder trial? On Tuesday, Teffo, his fellow defense colleague Advocate Zandile Mshololo and the State, represented by Advocate George Baloyi, returned to the court to finalize submit heads of argument related to the unsigned indictment, Case Docket 375, where seven suspects, including Kelly Khumalo, are linked to the murder of the former Orlando Pirates goalkeeper.
Teffo also had an application to transfer the trial from Pretoria to Johannesburg that needed the judge’s attention. However, things quickly turned awry when, after a day of butting heads with Judge Tshifhiwa Maumela, Teffo announced his intention to withdraw from the trial as the defence attorney of four of the five accused: Muzikawukhulelwa Sibiya, Bongani Ntanzi, Mthobisi Mncube and Mthokoziseni Maphisa.
More shocking were his reasons. According to Teffo, he’s been a target of heckling by the State, the police and, even worse, the president’s office.
“I came into this case knowing what will be the consequences. On 28 April when I was arrested in your court your lordship, that was a plan and the plan was hatched in the president’s office. I am labelled a problematic lawyer because I am disturbing that plan, the plan is that my clients should take responsibility of the murder of Senzo Meyiwa, despite the fact that they were innocent,” he told the court.
Here is Teffo, following Tuesday’s postponement, further explaining his decision to withdraw from the Meyiwa murder trial, which he claims was a moral decision he took after allegedly being approached with hush money by unknown figures.
Trial postponed to this date..
After Teffo stormed out of the courtroom amid proceedings, a decision was taken to postpone the trial until Tuesday, 2 August 2022, to allow the four accused enough time to find new legal representation.
