Pretoria – Disbarred 53-year-old Advocate Malesela Teffo appeared at the Pretoria Magistrates’ Court Thursday on charges of malicious damage to property, assault, and fraud.
Allegations are that while practicing as an advocate, Teffo rented an office at Protea Towers, a building owned by City Property.
However, Teffo was prohibited from entering the premises from 21 April 2023.
It is alleged that on 29 July 2023, Teffo went to the said building without permission, with a locksmith.
When Teffo arrived, the security officer stationed at the reception area tried to stop him from entering.
However, Teffo proceeded to his office, where the locksmith opened the locked office.
Another security officer began recording a video of the “break-in” when he was allegedly assaulted by Teffo.
The security officer reported the assault at a police station.
When he returned to the scene of the assault with the police, Teffo was gone and he notices the office door handle was missing.
Teffo, who was struck off the roll of advocates in September last year, is also facing a charge of fraud involving about R13 000.
It is alleged that on 9 June 2022, two clients approached Teffo for legal assistance.
Teffo allegedly agreed to assist the complainants and asked them to pay R6 500 each for consultation.
The clients made the requested payments into Teffo’s bank account.
However, when they enquired about the consultation, it is alleged that Teffo ignored them.
After some time, the clients reported the matter to the Legal Practice Council, where they informed that Teffo was no longer in practice.
That is when the clients reported the matter to the police.
Teffo was arrested this week on Tuesday, (1 August 2023) and has been in custody since.
“After his arrest, it was put on record in court that Teffo refused to cooperate with the police and refused to allow them to take his fingerprints for profiling and to give them his personal address,” said National Prosecuting Authority Gauteng Spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana.
On Thursday, the magistrate ordered Teffo to cooperate with the state by providing the state with the requested information.
The matter was postponed to Monday, (7 August 2023), for the confirmation of Teffo’s address, profiling, and possible bail application.
