Former National Assembly Speaker, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, has been granted R50 000 bail in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court.
PHOTO: Social mediaMapisa-Nqakula was charged with corruption and money
laundering on Thursday, a day after resigning as Speaker and Member of Parliament.
This was after she handed herself over at the Lyttleton Police Station in
Centurion.
Her bail conditions are that she should surrender her
passport to the investigating officer and she should have no direct or indirect
contact with the state witnesses.
The Investigating Directorate (ID) of the National
Prosecuting Authority (NPA) brought the 12 charges of corruption and one of
money laundering against Ms Mapisa-Nqakula following investigations into
allegations that during her tenure as the Minister of Defence, in the period
between 2016 and 2019, she allegedly solicited an amount of approximately R4,5
million, of which R2,1 million was received in cash.
Prior to her handing herself to the authorities, a search
and seizure operation was carried out at her home on 19 March 2024, as part of
investigations against her. On Tuesday, 02 April 2024, the Pretoria High Court
dismissed with costs her application to interdict her arrest.
It emerged in court that, following the raid on
Mapisa-Nqakula’s home in March, the state intends to bring a second accused to
join her in the dock.
“The state wants to add another accused on this matter. We
can add that accused within three weeks. However, in consultation with the
defence, we have agreed on a mutually suitable date which is the 4th of June,’’
said lead prosecutor Bheki Manyathi
The matter was postponed to 4 June 2024 for the arrest of
the second accused in this matter.
Done by: Esobusi Mkangelwa
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