The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has distanced itself from the manner in which advocate Malesela Teffo was arrested at the Pretoria High Court last week.
Teffo, a legal representative for four of the five men accused of killing Bafana Bafana goalkeeper Senzo Meyiwa, was manhandled and cuffed inside the courtroom as the proceedings were wrapping up for the day.
He spent Thursday night in police custody and was released on R10 000 bail when he appeared at the Hillbrow magistrate’s court the next day. His warrant of arrest, authorised by the same magistrate’s court, was executed after he allegedly failed to appear in court for a separate case in which he is an accused.
The warrant was issued, signed and stamped on January 27 2022 after he allegedly did not appear in court for an assault case.
In a statement on Thursday, the NPA said an internal investigation into the allegations that the director of public prosecutions (DPP) was responsible for how the warrant was conducted, showed that the DPP was not aware of the execution of the warrant, nor did his office approve that the warrant be executed in or at court.
“The Hillbrow magistrate’s court issued a warrant of arrest on 27 January 2022 after advocate Teffo failed to appear in court on that day. The execution of warrants remains the competency of the South African Police Service,” said NPA regional spokesperson Phindi Mjonondwane.
On Wednesday, Chief Justice Raymond Zondo said Teffo was arrested in a manner that was “totally unacceptable and showed disrespect” for the judiciary.
Zondo noted that the police who executed the arrest should have waited for Teffo to leave the courtroom.
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