Police move to clarify Advocate Malesela Teffo arrest
Police say Advocate Malesela Teffo was aware that a warrant of arrest had been issued against him.
The South African Police Service moved to clarify the arrest of Teffo after it came under fire for the manner in which it was executed.
Teffo, who represents some of the accused in the Senzo Meyiwa murder trial, was arrested shortly after Thursday's court proceedings.
A group of heavily armed police officers waited for court proceedings to adjourn before swooping on him.
It later emerged that the arrest was linked to his alleged failure to appear in court on a separate matter.
Police spokesperson Athlenda Mathe says Teffo was previously arrested on charges of common assault and trespassing after allegedly assaulting a female SAPS member and entering the police's provincial building in Gauteng.
"This was in contravention of a high court interdict prohibiting him from entering the said building."
Mathe says a warrant of arrest was issued after Teffo failed to appear in court on several occasions.
“Advocate Teffo was aware that a warrant of arrest had been issued as he had contacted the Investigating Officer in this regard, proof of which the SAPS is in possession of.
"It is also worth noting that Advocate Teffo has previously provided various residential addresses to secure his bail. These addresses were visited, but it was later discovered that he could not be traced as he no longer resided at the identified addresses."
Mathe says the investigating officer’s intention was to execute the warrant after the court proceedings.
“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 that the latter complied with the contents of the warrant of arrest. Advocate Teffo did not cooperate 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,” explains Mathe.
Teffo appeared in the Hillbrow Magistrate Court on Friday.
He was granted R10 000 bail and the case was postponed to 27 May.
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