Teffo Files A Case Of Obstructing Justice Against Cele, Lamola, And Others In Senzo Meyiwa Case.
Malesela Teffo, a former defense lawyer in the Senzo Meyiwa trial, has accused police minister Bheki Cele of attempting to obstruct the fair administration of justice by filing a case against him.
In an affidavit filed last week at the Sandton police station, Teffo—who was removed from the Legal Practice Council’s list of advocates in September—accuses Cele, Minister of Justice Ronald Lamola, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), and the criminal justice cluster, among others, of thwarting the course of justice.
Teffo claims that Cele called a meeting in Cape Town in November 2020 to make sure that the docket, which names Meyiwa’s ex-girlfriend Kelly Khumalo and the six other persons who were at the house when Meyiwa was shot in 2014, will never be heard in court.
Teffo said he couldn’t delve into specifics of his affidavit but that he had previously spoken with the NPA about his worries.
“Initially, I personally served this affidavit to the relevant judge at court. I also served it to the NPA. I was requesting something in that affidavit and I was not happy with the response of the NPA, I then opened a case last week.
“We have seen some of the issues in relation to that meeting manifest themselves in the trial. That’s when I said there cannot be smoke without a fire.”
He alleged he had witnesses to the meeting. “There are eyewitnesses to that meeting and they need to be protected. As a lawyer I wouldn’t go to the extent of filing an affidavit under oath, otherwise I would be risking my career,” he said.
Lirandzu Themba, a spokesman for Cele, claimed that the minister was uninformed of the incident and had only learned about it from the media. “The minister has not been informed of any further information around the case itself,” she said.
According to Brig Athlenda Mathe, a police spokeswoman, Teffo filed a case of thwarting the administration of justice against the police minister and others at Sandton police station in connection with the Senzo Meyiwa case, and the docket will be moved to Cape Town.
“Though we are aware of a case that has been opened, the allegations referred to are baseless and unfounded,” said Mathe.
“To this effect, the matters related to the crime scene are being ventilated in court, and as such we cannot discuss a matter that is on the court roll.
“This is a direct intention to tarnish the image of our senior managers and investigation team. This is also an attempt to create unnecessary confusion on a matter before court.”
The trial of the five men charged with Meyiwa’s murder will resume in May.
