Exclusive: ‘Advocate Teffo conned me out of R5 500,’ claims furious client

As the Legal Practice Council (LPC) awaits the high court judgment seeking to strike embattled Advocate Malesela Teffo off the roll, one of his victims has detailed how he disappeared after she made her first payment to him for litigation in the Labour Court.

The LPC brought misconduct charges against Teffo – ranging from misappropriation of clients’ monies, to misleading the court and unprofessional and unethical conduct during court proceedings.

ALSO READ: Advocate Teffo withdraws from Senzo Meyiwa case – blames judge, harassment

Soweto resident Rosinah Sekati said she first heard about Teffo’s legal practice from colleagues. They recommended him last year, heaping praises on Teffo as a “great lawyer” who wins cases for clients.

Upon contacting the advocate, she was requested to send him her case documents, before she was sent his banking details to make the first R5,500 fee.

“I spoke to him on the phone and he agreed to take my case. He told me about the people he helped with similar labour cases as mine. I deposited the money in January and sent proof of payment to him and his secretary Gugu.

“I then started using WhatsApp because he stopped picking up my calls. I told him I’d been trying to get hold of him, asking about the progress on the case. He just went quiet and didn’t respond,” said Sekati.

The cash was deposited to an FNB bank account belonging to Teffo.

She said at one point, they were supposed to meet at the Labour Court, and despite her calling him before leaving home, Teffo bailed on her.

“He told me he won’t be able to come because he was in court. The next time he would say he was in a meeting. He just made unending excuses.”

Fed up with the lack of action from Teffo, Sekati asked for her money back on 4 May 2022. Teffo agreed, requested her banking details and a termination letter.

“It’s now July, I haven’t received my money. I’ve been conned and robbed by a lawyer whom people see on television. He was highly recommended, and he himself told me he was good at what he does.

“But my experience as his client has been nothing but pain and frustration,” she said.

READ MORE: Teffo ‘must drop demands’ – Advocate berated by fellow legal eagles

‘Fee is non-refundable’

Teffo, however, disputes Sekati’s version of events, saying he did go to court to check on her matter as agreed upon.

“We didn’t have to meet up. Everything regarding her case was already at the Labour Court. I told her from the beginning that hers was a winnable case… We are busy with her case.”

When referred to his Whatsapp messages showing that he requested a termination of mandate letter and banking details from Sekati in order to reimburse her, Teffo changed tack, telling The Citizen to request Sekati to re-send the letter.

“I told her that the money she paid was non-refundable should she want to terminate the mandate. Please tell her to send the letter again.”

He wouldn’t explain why Sekati wouldn’t be refunded, even though she received no legal assistance from him.

“You said you are a reporter? You actually caught me very busy here. Tell her to send the letter again. There is nothing more I can talk to you about at this moment.”

22 complaints against Teffo

Teffo became known in recent times for representing four of the five men arrested in connection with the 2014 murder of former Bafana Bafana captain Senzo Meyiwa, and his dramatic arrest in court that went viral on social media.

He then later withdrew from the case, telling the presiding Judge Tshifhiwa Maumela that he was being “harassed by the state and the court.”

His arrest in April drew widespread condemnation from the legal fraternity, including the LPC, which condemned police for arresting a lawyer inside court.

The State at the time said Teffo was arrested for failure to appear in court. Teffo accused Police Minister Bheki Cele of being behind his arrest, because he allegedly didn’t want him around.

He also made quite a name for himself during the trial for making wild accusations in and outside court, and not even judges were immune to his scathing tongue.

In one of his recent shocking tirades, Teffo accused Maumela of witchcraft, in a letter of demands to the court, sent to prosecutor George Baloyi.

The LPC said it had received at least 22 misconduct complaints against him.

It’s seeking to have Teffo struck off the roll or suspended pending further legal action.

Judge Stanley Nyathi and Acting Judge T Bokako also heard that there was an investigation in connection with corruption charges brought against the advocate.

Teffo represented himself in the LPC case.

NOW READ: Advocate Teffo ‘incompetent’, antics distracted from merits of Meyiwa trial