Advocate Malesela Teffo vows to sue police over dramatic court arrest
THE defence attorney for four men accused of killing Bafana Bafana and Orlando Pirates goalkeeper Senzo Meyiwa, advocate Malesela Teffo, will be suing the SAPS after his arrest in court last week for a trespassing charge.
Teffo’s lawyer, Timothy Thobane, told eNCA: “They just wanted to distract him … and we are going to sue.
“The only reason why we sue, it is not about Teffo not attending the court, they might be right on that one. The issue here is the timing, the place, the moment and the manner he was arrested.”
Last week’s dramatic arrest inside the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria shocked many South Africans.
Several police officers, including tactical units, mobbed Teffo after the trial had adjourned.
The advocate was handcuffed and led away in full view of television broadcasters covering the trial.
In response to the outrage and criticism of the police’s heavy-handedness, the SAPS issued a statement to say it had intended to arrest Teffo outside court.
National police spokesperson Colonel Athlenda Mathe said: “While the intention was to execute the warrant outside the courtroom, the manner in which the events unfolded made it challenging for the team.
“According to the investigating officer, as soon as the court adjourned, the investigating officer approached the advocate who was making his way towards the court door.
“It is important to highlight that after informing the advocate of the execution of the warrant of arrest and informing him of his rights, the advocate went back into the courtroom.
The investigating officer then followed him back inside the courtroom in a bid to ensure the latter complied with the contents of the warrant of arrest.”
Mathe said Teffo “did not co-operate with the investigating officer which warranted the call for the assistance of the Tactical Response Team members who were already posted in the same court for escort duties”.