Pretoria - Advocate Malesela Teffo has been granted his wish to prepare arguments as he insists the Senzo Meyiwa murder trial should be heard at the South Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg, and not the North Gauteng High Court in Tshwane where the matter is currently being heard.
Teffo represents four of the five men accused of killing the former Bafana Bafana and Orlando Pirates goalkeeper.
He will now be allowed to bring a formal application on the issue.
Judge Tshifhiwa Maumela allowed Teffo to bring an application concerning the jurisdiction issues. Meyiwa was killed in 2014 in Vosloorus while visiting his then girlfriend, singer Kelly Khumalo.
Teffo said because of where the crime was committed, the matter should be held in the Johannesburg High Court and not the Pretoria High Court.
Maumela ordered Teffo to launch his application including the heads of argument within five days and told advocate Zandile Mshololo and the prosecutor George Baloyi to respond within five days after Teffo has filed his application.
Mshololo represents one of the men accused of Meyiwa’s murder.
Teffo said the five days will begin on Friday, 17 June, and he expects to have launched his application by Thursday, 23 June.
The oral arguments on Teffo's legal application will be heard on Tuesday, 12 July.
Earlier, a confirmation was presented through a letter signed by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Gauteng Local Division, by advocate Andrew Chauke, distancing himself from a recommendation to prosecute the people who were in the house with Meyiwa, including Khumalo.
Contained in that second docket, referred to as docket 375, is a recommendation by the State to have Kelly Khumalo, Longwe Twala, Gladness Khumalo, Zandie Khumalo, Tumelo Madlala, Mthokozisi Thwala and Maggie Phiri, charged.
Before adjourning Mshololo made a request saying that she needs clarification from the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) on the status of the second docket.
“I’m asking for an order directing the (NPA head in Gauteng) to give clarity on the junior advocate, who has made an opinion. And (Andrew Chauke) as the head of the office to reveal whether any decision has been made on (prosecuting) the second docket.”
Mshololo said that the reason she seeks clarification is to know whether the people mentioned in the second docket would be called to testify as suspect witnesses, or accused witnesses.
Baloyi told the judge that communication on the clarification issue would be handed in writing before end of June.
The matter is expected back in court on 12 July, 2022 to hear Teffo’s application.
IOL