Accused 1 to 4 in the Senzo Meyiwa trial will not be getting new legal representatives when the trial resumes on September 5. This after instructing Attorney Tshepo Thobane, who had been working with Advocate Malesela Teffo, told the court that he will be continuing with the case as the legal representative for the four accused.
In a dramatic move, Advocate Teffo withdrew from the case accusing the court of harassing him, among other issues.
This led to the matter being adjourned to allow the four accused an opportunity to get new legal representation.
Matters got off to a rocky start on Tuesday when Thobane told the judge that the court had erred when it postponed the matter on the basis of allowing the accused a chance to get new legal representatives when he had been part of the defence team.
Thobane – “There was an error where the matter was postponed for the accused to get new legal representation (when Teffo withdrew.)”
Judge – “Why do you call it an error?”
The judge says when Teffo withdrew he said nothing about Mr Thobane. #SABCNews #SenzoMeyiwatrial pic.twitter.com/tT50Jr054U
— Sipho King K Kekana (@KingKAzania) August 2, 2022
Judge Tshifhiwa Maumela challenged this assertion by Thobane saying he had not been in court on the day of Teffo’s withdrawal without informing the court of his whereabouts, that Teffo had made no mention of Thobane when he withdrew, and that Thobane had not taken it upon himself to inform the court soon after that he would continue to represent the four accused.
Thobane has apologised for this, saying he had not meant any disrespect to the court – an apology which the judge accepted, also welcoming Thobane’s announcement that he would continue with the matter, saying it saved the court’s time.
Instructing Thobane has just informed the court that he will continue to represent accused 1 to 4. The judge has welcomed this saying it saves the court from other processes the court would have had to follow with a completely new legal representative. #SABCNews #SenzoMeyiwatrial pic.twitter.com/bdGiczXoui
— Sipho King K Kekana (@KingKAzania) August 2, 2022
Thobane has also assured the court that whatever Teffo says in the media has nothing to do with his defence in court. This after Teffo, in a letter to the state last week, accused the judge of witchcraft, saying he had brought a sangoma to court in order to “collapse him.”
Instructing Attorney Tshepo Thobane distances himself from Advocate Malesela Teffo’s conduct in court. #SenzoMeyiwatrial #SABCNews #SenzoMeyiwa pic.twitter.com/B71oa6jrWX
— Sipho King K Kekana (@KingKAzania) August 2, 2022
Among some of the demands he made in the letter – in order for him to continue with the case – was that Police Minister Bheki Cele be relieved of his duties.
Before the trial resumes next month, Thobane has informed the court he will be bringing a bail application for accused 2, Bongani Ntanzi.
The #SenzoMeyiwatrial has been postponed to the 5th of September.
Judge – “But I’ve been told some of you would like to apply for bail.”
He says he hopes the bail application would be done before the 5th. #SABCNews #SenzoMeyiwa pic.twitter.com/5dzVuUkjuy
— Sipho King K Kekana (@KingKAzania) August 2, 2022
Former Orlando Pirates Goalkeeper Senzo Meyiwa was shot dead on the evening of 26 October eight years ago when two intruders allegedly stormed into Kelly Khumalo’s mother’s house in Vosloorus and demanded cell phones before a scuffle allegedly ensued leading to the murder of the former Bafana Bafana goalminder.
The defense has rejected this version of events, slowly painting a picture of a cover-up involving the police who attended the scene.
Under cross-examination, forensic expert Thabo Mosia, the first forensic expert to attend to the crime scene, admitted that when he was at the crime scene after midnight on 27 October 2014, four hours after the shooting, he had not noticed any projectile on the kitchen unit. This was despite the fact that he had gone around the house taking pictures under the guidance of Brigadier Ndlovu, who was pointing out important spots and explaining what had happened during the commission of the crime. This is despite Ndlovu, who has since passed on, not having been present when the crime took place.
The Live stream of the court proceedings, August 2, 2022:
