Pretoria - After adjourning court proceedings on the Senzo Meyiwa murder trial last week Wednesday, the proceedings resumed on Monday with a rather bitter exchange between advocate Malesela Teffo and Judge Tshifhiwa Maumela.
The court was ready to get feedback from advocate Zandile Mshololo on the second docket opened on the Meyiwa murder case which she received last week Wednesday, on June 8.
Mshololo, upon receiving the docket, asked the court for an adjournment to go through the docket.
Mshololo represents one accused, while Teffo represents the four other accused.
However on Monday, Teffo wanted to make his submissions first and recap the whole saga of the second docket, a request which was denied by Judge Tshifhiwa Maumela.
“I need to be heard, please,” Teffo told Maumela.
Maumela denied Teffo the chance to speak, saying Mshololo had to make her presentations first.
“The problem that I have is that, when advocate Teffo thinks it's time for him to speak, things must happen. The other day I had to warn you when you demanded things to happen.
“I’m saying now, as the presiding officer in this case, it is time to give advocate Mshololo the opportunity to proceed with what she started in your absence. She is not done,” Maumela said.
Despite Maumela’s refusal, Teffo did not want to stop with his request and argued that he should be given an opportunity to speak.
“I made a ruling, advocate Teffo, that we are not going to debate about what you want to talk about,” Maumela said raising his voice.
After lunch, the exchanges continued, Teffo wanted to respond to Mshololo's submission, but Judge Maumela told him its advocate George Baloyi's time to speak.
“You just jump up,” Maumela said to Teffo.
Teffo responded to Maumela by saying he is beginning to realise that he and Maumela “come from a different school of law, that's why we clash”.
Meyiwa was gunned down in October 2014, at his girlfriend Kelly Khumalo’s home in Spruitview, Vosloorus.
Five men are standing trial for his murder.
Teffo was later allowed to make his representations.
The trial continues on Tuesday.
IOL