Conspiracy theories swirl after Meyiwa accused’s advocate is cuffed in court

The dramatic arrest in court on Thursday of adv Malesela Teffo, lawyer for four of the five Senzo Meyiwa murder-accused, was all part of an intimidation tactic to distract from the case.

This is according to Teffo’s instructing attorney, Tshepo Thobane, who said Teffo’s arrest came as no surprise.

He was served with a warrant of arrest in court after the matter stood down for May 30.

Thobane told the court the legal team had received a tip-off during the lunch break that Teffo would be arrested.

Whether I am alive or dead, whether Teffo is alive or dead — another attorney will take over this matter and move it forward. The truth will come out.

—  Instructing attorney Tshepo Thobane

Thobane also claimed he had received strange anonymous calls after the watching brief for singer and Meyiwa’s girlfriend, Kelly Khumalo, was excused from court earlier this week.

Thobane told Sunday Times Daily that the arrest was an intimidation tactic after the murder-accused’s lawyers revealed in court that the crime scene was contaminated.

He questioned the timing of the arrest, saying the warrant was dated January 22 2022.

“They wanted to stop us from introducing a new case against those people in the house. Even today, the prosecutor stopped us from asking questions pertaining to that case. Unfortunately, we will and the truth will come out. Whether I am alive or dead, whether Teffo is alive or dead — another attorney will take over this matter and move it forward. The truth will come out,” he said.

Teffo, who was cuffed without being read his rights before being led to the holding cells, said he did not know why he was being arrested.

“They are arresting me because I am in this case. [Police minister] Bheki Cele doesn’t want me in this case,” he said.

Teffo had earlier been cross-examining Sgt Thabo Mosia, who collected evidence at the Vosloorus home in Ekurhuleni where Meyiwa was killed in October 2014.

He questioned the time of death, alleging it happened earlier than the state witness had testified, stating that the scene was staged.

However, Mosia insisted the scene was not tampered with.

The five accused are Muzikawukhulelwa Sibiya, Bongani Sandiso Ntanzi, Mthobisi Prince Mncube, Mthokoziseni Maphisa and Sifisokuhle Nkani Ntuli.

They have all pleaded not guilty to premeditated murder, attempted murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances, possession of firearms without a licence and possession of ammunition.

Thobane said Teffo is being charged with trespassing and assault. 

“It’s in relation to the provincial office of the police in Johannesburg. That’s where hearings of labour matters are conducted. Teffo was supposed to attend a labour matter in that office and they didn’t want him to go because he had personal clashes with officers in that office. Then they took it upon themselves to say he was not allowed in that office. They don’t have the right to bar someone from that office; they are not the minister of police; they don’t have the authority,” he said.

He said the assault matter was opened by a police officer in the Johannesburg provincial office.

“She is the one who opened a case of assault against Teffo. It must have been sometime last year,” he said.

On the arrest in court, Thobane said: “That is contempt of court. You cannot arrest someone inside the courtroom, whether the presiding officer is there or not. That’s a contempt of court and it deserves a civil action.

“Teffo must decide whether he wants to sue or not. The fact of the matter is, he was arrested in front of people, in front of the media. Everyone now in the country saw videos of the advocate being arrested inside the court building, inside a courtroom — that is pure contempt of court,” he said.

He said the matter will not affect their case. However, he said it might affect the accused psychologically.

“It won’t affect our fight; we will continue to fight on. Whether Teffo is there or I am there, someone will pick up the spear and fight for the truth. We all need justice; we need the truth; we need to know who killed Senzo — the right people must be charged — we need the truth, nothing else but the truth,” Thobane said.

Though they are still trying to get him bail, he said Teffo is expected to appear at the Hillbrow magistrate’s court or Johannesburg magistrate’s court on Friday.

Adv Zandile Mshololo, who tried to mitigate the situation, said she had a look at the warrant of arrest.

“It just says for failure to appear in court and we don’t know which case it is for. We are going to Hillbrow police station so that we can discuss with the detectives and we will take it from there,” she said.