PRETORIA – The ongoing Senzo Meyiwa trial, taking place in the High Court in Pretoria, has had exhilarating twists and turns, but none had prepared throngs of South Africans religiously following the trial for the “f***ed up situation” remarks made in court, in the presence of a judge, by advocate Malesela Teffo.
The impassioned counsel, representing four of the five men arrested for their alleged involvement in the 2014 murder of Bafana Bafana ace goalkeeper Senzo Robert Meyiwa, was cross-examining police forensic expert Sergeant Thabo Johannes Mosia, whom he accuses of lying in a bid to cover-up what transpired on the fateful night on October 26, 2014, at the Khumalo homestead.
Teffo charged: “I can put it to you that, here, you are doing your utmost best to be evasive and protect the whole. What is the best way Your Lordship (Presiding Judge Tshifhiwa Maumela), I want to say the f***ed up situation”.
The counsel later apologised, telling the judge: “That may be a slip out of my tongue, but this is not the fault of my mind. So, in my mind, in the reality where something is not unto, I will always apologise. Thank you. Can I proceed with the witness? Thank you.”
What did Adv Teffo say?🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
— Tebello Kholoanyane (@jisto_sa) May 31, 2022
MacG pic.twitter.com/9IEQDn0Ksv
In disbelief, frenzied social media users questioned if they had correctly heard the counsel’s address to the judge, while others expressed love for the lawyer – who has somewhat amassed a loyal following his recent arrest in court, and his pointed cross-examination, which has often irked lead prosecutor in the trial, Advocate George Baloyi.
By Wednesday morning, “Teffo” was still a top trend on Twitter.
One user, @AthiStoto wrote: “Yaz when Adv. Teffo said f***d up I really thought he said some latin term cause I never thought he'd say such a thing in court”
Another Twitter user, @Iamdelinquent_ reacted: “#SenzoMeyiwatrial did Adv Teffo say f*** up situation in court 😂😂😂😂😂”
@Madpro_16 also stood with Teffo: “Honestly speaking, I just want to listen to Adv Teffo all day long, he is the one. The man said in court that the police f***d up …”
Meyiwa was killed in 2014 while visiting his girlfriend and the mother of his child, singer Kelly Khumalo, in Vosloorus.
In the house, that day were Meyiwa, Kelly and her younger sister, Zandile, their mother Ntombi Khumalo, Longwe Twala, Meyiwa’s friends Mthokozisi Thwala and Tumelo Madlala, Kelly’s then 4-year-old son, Christian, and Thingo, her daughter with Meyiwa.
Five men, Muzikawukhulelwa Sibiya, Bongani Ntanzi, Mthobisi Mncube, Mthokoziseni Maphisa and Sifokuhle Ntuli, are facing charges of murder, attempted murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances, possession of an unlicensed firearm as well as possession of ammunition. All of the accused have pleaded not guilty.
The trial continues this morning, with Teffo expected to wrap his grilling of the first State witness, Mosia.
IOL