Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula
By Thabo Mosia: Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, the former Speaker of the National Assembly and ex-Minister of Defence, appeared before the Pretoria Magistrates Court today for her second court appearance on serious charges related to corruption.
The embattled former speaker faces 12 counts of corruption and one count of money laundering, with allegations suggesting she received bribes worth over R2 million during her tenure as the Minister of Defence. Today, the court granted a postponement of her case to 9 July 2024.
The state prosecutor, Bheki Manyathi, disclosed today that plans to add a second accused to the case have been scrapped. He confirmed that the prosecution intends to proceed with indicting Mapisa-Nqakula in the High Court for trial.
Recap of April Court Appearance
“I’m not a flight risk,” Mapisa-Nqakula’s lawyer read from her affidavit. “I will receive a state pension which I cannot afford to lose,” she added, further describing the case against her as weak. Kerr-Phillips argued that his client has no prior convictions or pending criminal cases and also presented several points indicating her steadfast transparency throughout the investigation process.
Defence Highlights and Prosecution’s Stance
Kerr-Phillips critiqued the state for relying on a witness who likely testified against Mapisa-Nqakula in exchange for their charges being dropped. He argued this raised questions about the integrity of the case. “My client doesn’t even know who this state witness is,” he stressed. The defence also cast doubts on the strength of the prosecution’s case, criticising it as relying heavily on media articles from News24, Sunday Times, and Sunday World rather than concrete evidence from the state.
Manyathi, however, dismissed such claims, stating it was an “undesirable strategy” to attack the strength of the state’s case without seeing the docket. He assured the court that the state has sufficient corroborating evidence and is not solely dependent on one witness. Despite opposing the reduced bail amount of R50k initially proposed by the defence, Manyathi accepted it eventually due to her age and verified cooperation with law enforcement.
Health and Safety Concerns
Mapisa-Nqakula raised significant concerns about the conditions of South African prisons in her affidavit, terming them “overcrowded” and insufficient in terms of basic facilities and safety. She indicated her fear of suffering physical and emotional harm under police custody, highlighting the inadequacy of rehabilitation and medical care. Her lawyer, Kerr-Phillips, also added that Mapisa-Nqakula suffers from hypertension, thus requiring regular medical attention.
What’s Next?
The court has now set 9 July 2024 as the date for determining when the matter will be transferred to the High Court. As the 9th looms, both the defence and the prosecution are set to prepare for the gravity and complexities that this high-profile corruption case entails.
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