By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Photo Credit: Neil McCartney.
Disbarred advocate Malesela Teffo will spend the weekend behind bars after his criminal case was remanded to Monday.
Teffo made his first appearance at the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court on Thursday.
The 53-year-old Teffo became a household name while representing four of the accused in the Senzo Meyiwa murder trial.
He later pulled a dramatic withdrawal from the case, citing harassment and threats.
In September last year, Teffo was struck off the roll of advocates by the High Court in Pretoria due to unethical and dishonest practices.
NPA spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana says Teffo was renting office space at Protea Towers, a building owned by City Property.
He was barred from entering the building in April.
“It was reported that, on 29 July 2023, Teffo went to the said building without permission, with a person from a locksmith. When he arrived, the security officer who was on duty at the reception tried to stop him from entering,” says Mahanjana.
“However, he proceeded and went to his office, where he, together with the person from the locksmith, broke into the office. When another security officer who was on the scene was recording what was happening, it is alleged that Teffo assaulted him.
“The security officer ran to the police station to report the matter.
“When he returned to the scene, Teffo was already gone and took the door handle with him.”
Mahanjana says Teffo is facing charges of malicious damage to property, assault and theft.
She added after Teffo’s arrest on 1 August 2023, he refused to cooperate with police.
“It was put on record in court that Teffo refused to cooperate with the police and refused to allow them to take his fingerprints for profiling and to give them his personal address. The magistrate made an order that Teffo must cooperate with the state by providing the requested information.”
In response, Teffo’s defence lawyer Nombeko Mabena said her client did this because he feared for his life.
“The manner in which he has been manhandled by the arresting officers. The way he has been arrested and the utterances by the arresting officers make him be afraid and scared.”
Mabena argued that Teffo had been kept in police custody for over 48 hours without being charged – which was against the law.
However, the magistrate said it would be improper to release Teffo without his address being confirmed.
The matter was postponed to Monday 7 August 2023 for confirmation of his address, profiling and possible bail application.