‘The police will say if they have grounds to effect an arrest’: Chief Justice Zondo on Advocate Teffo’s arrest

Chief Justice, Raymond Zondo says although he is not aware of the details surrounding the arrest of defense advocate, Malesela Teffo, it is the police’s job to effect an arrest if they have grounds to do so.

“I am not aware of exactly what happened, I wouldn’t be able to comment much but of course the police will say if they have grounds to effect an arrest.

It’s their job to effect an arrest and if the complaint is about how it was done, that might be a different issue altogether but I don’t know the facts.”

In conversation with SA’s Chief Justice Raymond Zondo

Teffo was arrested shortly after the High Court in Pretoria adjourned in the Meyiwa matter.

He represents four of the accused in the Senzo Meyiwa murder trial and claims that he’s been arrested on a fraudulent warrant of arrest.

He is  being held at the Hillbrow Police Station.

Meyiwa was shot and killed at the home of his girlfriend, Kelly Khumalo in Vosloorus in Gauteng’s east-rand in 2014.

Senzo Meyiwa Murder Trial | SABC News reporter talks about Advocate Malesela Teffo’s arrest

In the video below, Senzo Meyiwa Trial | Advocate Teffo has been arrested:

Fraudulent warrant of arrest

Teffo says he has been arrested on a fraudulent warrant of arrest. He allegedly failed to appear on a contempt of court matter.

The warrant is understood to have been issued in January. Teffo says has told the SABC his previous warrant of arrest was cancelled.

“I’ve been arrested on a fraudulent warrant of arrest which according to the was obtained on the 27th of January this year. I got a cancellation of a warrant of arrest on the 28th of December last year with my attorney. So this one I was not even aware I was supposed to come to court and in so far as allegation of trespassing, I was arrested in 2020 and that allegation of trespassing was withdrawn. I made legal representation , it was withdrawn on the 21st of December in 2021,” says Teffoo.

Adv Malesela Teffo sent SABC News the voice notebelow while in detention at the Hillbrow Police station o Thursday.

LISTEN

Adv Malesela Teffo sent #SAfmBTH producer @miss_andisa this voicenote while in detention at the Hillbrow Police station.

Adv Teffo says another warrant of arrest with the same case number was cancelled last year. Check the next for that warrant #SenzoMeyiwa pic.twitter.com/twolg9efN1

— Aldrin Sampear (@AldrinSampear) April 28, 2022