South African President Cyril Ramaphosa was not involved in alleged harassment of lawyer Malesela Teffo who is defending late national goalkeeper Senzo Meyiwa in an ongoing murder trial taking place in Johannesburg, the presidency said on Wednesday.
In a statement, the presidency said it “strongly refutes the false claims” by Malesela Teffo that it was behind his alleged intimidation and subsequent decision to withdraw from the Senzo Meyiwa murder trial.
“The presidency finds these unsubstantiated and baseless claims mischievous and harmful to the standing of the office of the president,” Ramaphosa’s office said.
It said it does not participate in “criminal investigations or trials” and was not involved in any “perceived or actual harassment” of Teffo.
“As an Officer of the Court and a professional in the legal fraternity, Advocate Teffo must appreciate the level of veracity that is necessary to support such claims about any institution or individual,” the presidency said.
Teffo told the court on Tuesday that he was withdrawing from the case “based on the harassment that I am receiving from the State and from the court” and allegedly from the “highest office in the land.”
He alleged that he was arrested in April as part of a “plan hatched in the office of (President Ramaphosa).
“I am interfering with the plan that has been hatched, that my clients should take the responsibility of the murder of Senzo Meyiwa despite the fact that they were innocent,” Teffo said before withdrawing from the case.
NM/jn/APA