By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Advocate Thulani Mngomezulu, acting for accused numbers one and two in the Senzo Meyiwa trial faces charges of attempted murder, conspiracy to commit murder, contravention of a protection order and resisting arrest.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) confirmed the charges dating back to November 2022 to the SABC.
The complainant is his wife, Dumisile Sebentile Mngomezulu.
Dumisile wanted to withdraw the case however, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) declined her request.
It is not the first time charges against a defence lawyer in the case have been made public.
Advocate Malesela Teffo was arrested in August on charges of fraud, theft, assault and malicious damage to property. He was ordered to undergo a mental assessment, following his continued theatrics in court.
Teffo, who was known for crass and inappropriate statements during the trial faces charges of fraud, assault, theft and malicious damage to property.
He was struck off the roll after the Legal Practice Council (LPC) received more than 20 complaints of misconduct, assault and of Teffo defrauding clients.
The LPC – the watchdog over the legal profession – said Teffo was not a trust advocate permitted in law to take instructions and payments directly from members of the public.
“In terms of the Legal Practice Act, as it is at the moment, there is a distinction between advocates who are supposed to accept instructions only from attorneys and advocates who may accept instructions directly from the public. Advo Teffo was not what we call a trust advocate who could accept instructions directly from the public, but he did so, and also accepted money for the work that was done.”
The case has been postponed to Tuesday, 30 January 2024, for the written transcript to be handed to the defence.