Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Lerato Mutsila
Published on 2024-04-04 11:56:37
Less than 24 hours after stepping down as the speaker of the National Assembly, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, who is facing corruption allegations, appeared in the Pretoria Magistrates Court to face 12 charges of corruption and one charge of money laundering. The charges against her stem from the alleged solicitation of bribes amounting to R4.55 million from a contractor between 2017 and 2019 while she was serving as the defense minister.
An investigation by the Independent Directorate uncovered that Nombasa Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu, a defense businessperson married to a general in the military health service, delivered R2.3 million in cash to Mapisa-Nqakula in gift bags. Following the failed attempt to interdict her arrest in the high court, Mapisa-Nqakula surrendered herself to the police at Lyttelton Police Station after Judge Potterill ruled that she had been given sufficient time to present herself to the authorities.
Accompanied by her husband, Charles Nqakula, and former National Assembly speaker Baleka Mbete, Mapisa-Nqakula appeared in Courtroom 8 of the Pretoria Magistrates Court. Both Nqakula and Mbete showed their support for Mapisa-Nqakula, with Mbete defending her against the corruption allegations as part of a plan to discredit her.
During the court proceedings, Mapisa-Nqakula maintained that she was not a flight risk and emphasized her belief in the rule of law by voluntarily surrendering to the authorities. She argued that her imprisonment would negatively impact her family and highlighted the conditions of South African prisons, citing inadequate healthcare facilities and the presence of gangs as reasons why she should not be incarcerated.
Despite the state not opposing bail, Mapisa-Nqakula’s lawyer, Graham Kerr-Phillips, presented her case for bail, citing her age, health condition, and the lack of evidence found during the search of her home. After Magistrate Anna Oosthuizen granted Mapisa-Nqakula bail of R50,000, the state set conditions for her release, including surrendering her passport and refraining from contacting any witnesses in the case.
Prosecutor Bheki Manyathi revealed that the state would be adding a second accused to the matter based on additional evidence recovered during the search and seizure. The court postponed the case until 4 June, with Mapisa-Nqakula’s bail conditions to be upheld.
Despite resigning as the speaker of the National Assembly, Mapisa-Nqakula maintains her innocence and views her resignation as a separate matter from the corruption charges she faces. The court proceedings shed light on the complexities surrounding the case and the legal implications for the embattled former speaker.
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