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Since accepting an offer of Tenancy, Tetevi has been regularly instructed in cases beyond his year of call and is gaining a reputation for his courtroom advocacy, written work and strategic thinking. He is developing a broad practice encompassing all areas of criminal defence, civil liberties, extradition and international law.
Tetevi has recently been instructed as a led junior in a high-profile case of conspiracy to possess firearms with intent to endanger life. The case involves several prominent UK music artists and has been widely reported in the media. He also recently secured acquittals in a case of possession of false identity documents and high-value fraud following a four-day trial at Inner London Crown Court.
Tetevi has a keen interest in international law and was recently instructed by the NGO Reprieve to provide legal advice to the Middle East and North Africa team on the status of the death penalty under international law. He has also authored several articles on aspects of international law and has published work with leading international law scholars.
Prior to coming to the Bar, Tetevi worked as a Criminal Paralegal before spending time at the International Criminal Court in The Hague where he was based in the Legal Advisory Section of the Office of the Prosecutor. He has also worked in the Appeals Chamber of the UN International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia and was a former Nicolas Bratza visiting scholar to the European Court of Human Rights.
Tetevi accepts instructions in both English and French.
Criminal Defence
Tetevi defends across the spectrum of criminal law from serious violence and human trafficking offences, to drugs and fraud offences. He has a busy and expanding Crown Court practice and also acts privately for defendants in the magistrates’ and youth courts.
Recent notable cases include:
R v RL & others (ongoing) – Led junior counsel in a conspiracy to possess firearms with intent to endanger life. The target is said to have been a high-profile UK music artist.
R v HN & others (ongoing) – Junior alone in a multi-handed conspiracy to facilitate the commission of a breach of UK immigration law by non-UK nationals.
R v OG – successfully represented a defendant in a case of aggravated burglary. Following an application to exclude crucial evidence it was argued was obtained in breach of Police Codes of Conduct, the Prosecution offered no evidence.
R v LG & others (2024) – Acted as junior alone on behalf of one of seven defendants in a case of threatening to take revenge (witness intimidation).
R v AB (2024) – successfully represented a defendant charged with the possession of false identity documents and fraud by false representation (£50,000).
R v MG (2024) – successfully represented a defendant charged with attempting to commit grievous bodily harm with intent (s.18).
R v RS (2024) – suspended sentence for an individual charged with a fifth-strike possession of a bladed article offence. The case was reported in the media.
R v RC (2023) – successfully represented a defendant charged with 12 offences, including six counts of ABH. Following an argument to exclude all Prosecution evidence, the jury was discharged and the Crown subsequently offered no evidence on all counts.
R v BB (2023) – suspended sentence for an individual charged with a £182,000 money laundering offence. The case was reported in the media.
International Law
Tetevi has spent time at the International Criminal Court in The Hague where he was based in the Legal Advisory Section of the Office of the Prosecutor. In this capacity, he provided legal research on request to various divisions of the Court, including the Investigations Divisions and worked closely with the Court’s former Deputy Prosecutor.
He has also worked at the UN International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia. In this role, he worked closely with Judge Koffi Afande in the Court’s Appeal Chamber assisting him with legal research memoranda and opinions.
Tetevi’s work in international cases includes:
Prosecutor v Dominic Ongwen (ICC) – Landmark conviction of Dominic Ongwen, a former Commander in the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA). Charges included 61 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity, committed in Uganda between 1 July 2002 and 31 December 2005.
Prosecutor v Stanisic and Zupljanin (ICTY) – The Appeals Chamber confirmed the convictions and sentences of Mićo Stanišić, former Minister of the Interior of Republika Srpska, and Stojan Župljanin, former Chief of the Regional Security Services Centre of Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) for war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in BiH in 1992.
Tetevi was recently instructed by Reprieve to provide a legal opinion to the Middle East and North Africa team on the status of the death penalty under international law. This opinion is being used as the basis for a submission to the UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions.
Extradition
Tetevi is developing his extradition practice and has recently been instructed in a matter concerning the government of Romania and an individual who is wanted to serve a sentence of imprisonment for embezzlement and fraud. The Requested Person is resisting extradition on Article 8 (right to private and family life) grounds.
Education and Awards
Education
Bar Professional Training Course (2018) – BPP Law School, London (Very Competent)
Certificate in Public International Law (2016) – Hague Academy of International Law
LLM, Public International Law (2013) – Maastricht University
BA, Law with French and French Law (2012) – University of Nottingham
Scholarships and awards
Nicolas Bratza Scholarship, Lincoln’s Inn (2018)
Tancred Studentship, Lincoln’s Inn Major Award (2017)
Hardwicke Scholarship, Lincoln’s Inn (2017)
Human Rights Lawyers’ Association Bursary Award (2016)
Memberships
Criminal Bar Association
Bar Human Rights Committee
International Law Association
Publications and Presentations
Publications
“Revised Guidelines For Burglary Offences: An Update” (2022) London Criminal Courts Solicitors Association (LCCSA), available at: https://www.lccsa.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/The-London-Advocate-Issue-100-July-2022_.pdf
“Universal Jurisdiction in Switzerland: Challenges for the War Crimes Trial of Alieu Kosiah”, (2021) OxHRH Blog, available at: https://ohrh.law.ox.ac.uk/universal-jurisdiction-in-switzerland-challenges-for-the-war-crimes-trial-of-alieu-kosiah /
“A Special Declaration: Towards a Culture of Accountability in The Gambia?” (2019) Justice in Conflict, available at: https://justiceinconflict.org/2019/01/10/a-special-declaration-towards-a-culture-of-accountability-in-thegambia /
“African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights Delivers Landmark Ruling on Women’s Rights and the Rights of the Child in Mali” (2018) EJIL Talk, available at: https://www.ejiltalk.org/african-court-on-humanand-peoples-rights-delivers-landmark-ruling-on-womens-rights-and-the-rights-of-the-child-in-mali/
“ECOWAS Court Rules that use of Military Tribunals to Prosecute Civilians in Nigeria Violates Right to Fair Trial” (2018) OxHRH Blog, available at: http://ohrh.law.ox.ac.uk/ecowas-court-rules-that-use-ofmilitary-tribunals-to-prosecute-civilians-in-nigeria-violates-right-to-fair-trial
“Examining the Criticisms Levelled against Transitional Justice: Towards an Understanding of the State of the Field,” Human Rights & International Legal Discourse: Vol. 11: Issue 1. (2017) (Book Chapter) available at: https://www.jurisquare.be/nl/journal/hrild/
“Minorities Suffer as the Supreme Court Supports ‘Suspicionless’ Stop Searches”. (2016) OxHRH Blog, available at: http://ohrh.law.ox.ac.uk/minorities-suffer-as-the-supreme-court-supports-suspicionless-stop-searches/
Speaking events, training and seminars
“In conversation with Nani Jansen Reventlow, Digital Rights: Developments at Home and Abroad”. Co-chaired with Aswini Weereratne KC, 2021. Information and recording available here.
“The Prosecution of International Crimes in the UK: Present Problems and Future Possibilities”, with Courtenay Griffiths KC, Emilie Pottle, Charlie Loudon (REDRESS) and Kate O’Raghallaigh, 2019. Information available here.