Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader, Julius Malema says he has no sympathy for Advocate Malesela Teffo, the former lawyer for the four accused in the Senzo Meyiwa murder trial under way at the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria.
Teffo dropped a bomb-shell on Tuesday, saying that he is pulling out of the case, citing reasons of being threatened by the Presidency, among others.
Malema says Teffo got things wrong, from the onset, by thinking that the case revolves around him and not the Meyiwa family who lost their son.
He says as a lawyer, Teffo has set a wrong precedent, by talking loosely and disrespecting the courts of the country.
However, the office of the President has rubbished the claims made by Teffo.
Malema addressed the media at the EFF headquarters in Johannesburg on Thursday afternoon.
“We can be angry anyhow, but the courts must be respected. If he starts speaking like that to our judges, then everybody is going to do that – and then we will have nowhere to run to. So I do not believe there is any Cyril [Ramaphosa] who concocted anything on that guy. He is self destructive and he’s got himself to blame. He throws people’s names loosely and he does not back them up with anything,” adds Malema.
In the video below is the EFF media briefing:
Teffo quits Meyiwa case
On Tuesday, Teffo withdrew from defending accused numbers one to four in the Senzo Meyiwa murder case being heard at the High Court in Pretoria.
Teffo says he has experienced harassment from the police and the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA).
He adds that the NPA and police don’t want him to be part of the case, citing that he was considered a problematic advocate.
Judge Tshifhiwa Maumela refused to hear further argument from Teffo after he withdrew.
Teffo then left the courtroom.
Five men are standing trial for the murder of the Bafana Bafana goalie who was shot and killed during a robbery at his girlfriend’s home, Kelly Khumalo in Vosloorus in 2014.
Below are the court proceedings:
Presidency refutes Adv Teffo’s claims
On Wednesday, the Presidency noted and strongly refuted the claims made by Teffo.
The Presidency says it finds these claims as baseless, mischievous and harmful to the standing of the office of the President.
The Presidency added that it does not participate in criminal investigations or trials and it is not involved in or any perceived or actual harassment of Teffo.
The Legal Practice Council (LPC) has confirmed that there are a number of complaints pre-dating the Senzo Meyiwa trial that are being investigated against Advocate Teffo.
These allegations relate to unprofessional conduct, raised directly with the LPC and judgments referred to the body, including by the judiciary.
In the video below, LPC investigates complaints against Adv Teffo:
