Pretoria – Former counsel for four of the five men accused of killing Bafana Bafana ace goalkeeper Senzo Meyiwa in 2014, advocate Malesela Teffo said President Cyril Ramaphosa should contact him directly if he needs to understand the alleged interference by the Presidency in the Senzo Meyiwa murder case.
Earlier this week, Teffo withdrew from representing Muzikawukhulelwa Sibiya, Bongani Ntanzi, Mthobisi Ncube and Mthokoziseni Maphisa in the Meyiwa murder trial, citing harassment by different agencies and the High Court in Pretoria which is presiding over the trial.
“On April 28, when I was arrested before your Lordship, that was the plan. And the plan was hatched in the office of the President (Cyril Ramaphosa); the number one office of the number one in the country says that I am a problematic advocate.
“I am interfering with the plan that has been hatched - that my clients should take the responsibility for the murder of Senzo Meyiwa,” Teffo told presiding Judge Tshifhiwa Maumela before withdrawing.
During an interview with broadcaster Newzroom Afrika, Teffo declined to name the individuals within the Presidency whom he accused of hatching the harassment campaign against him.
Teffo said: “I think the president has to talk to me because I am the one who is alleging. It is me who alleged, and I expect the president as the president of the country, myself being the subject of the Constitution and him being the guardian of the Constitution. The president has a duty to protect me and to protect my clients.
“What I have said, it’s the allegations. The allegations come from what is happening and what happened on the 28th of April. The president (Ramaphosa) is directly or indirectly involved. That will require further investigation”.
Pressed to divulge more, Teffo said Ramaphosa should directly contact him if he needs to know further.
“If the president wants to know, he will be in direct contact with me. You know that the president has Cabinet, he has got ministers, the president appoints certain appointees responsible for the government’s constitutional responsibilities, whereby I am referring to your NDPP (national director for public prosecutions( appointed by the president, the national commissioner in the police. Hence I am saying the president is directly or indirectly involved in this matter,” said Teffo.
He said Ramaphosa could also approach the officials to understand the interference in the Meyiwa matter.
He added that he knows the individuals interfering in the ongoing trial.
The Presidency has said it noted and strongly refuted the “false claims” made by Teffo that Ramaphosa is behind the lawyer’s alleged intimidation and the decision to withdraw from the Meyiwa murder trial.
“The Presidency finds these unsubstantiated and baseless claims mischievous and harmful to the standing of the office of the President. The Presidency does not participate in criminal investigations or trials and is not involved in any perceived or actual harassment of advocate Teffo,” said Ramaphosa’s spokesperson Vincent Magwenya.
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