Former South African Speaker of Parliament, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, faced arrest on Thursday amid allegations of receiving $135,000 in bribes, marking the latest corruption scandal to engulf the ruling African National Congress (ANC) party.
Mapisa-Nqakula voluntarily surrendered to police in Pretoria and appeared before the Pretoria Magistrates Court, where she was granted bail set at 50,000 rand ($2,670).
Charged with 12 counts of corruption and one count of money laundering, Mapisa-Nqakula vehemently maintained her innocence, attributing the charges to political motives amidst the upcoming national elections. African news reported
The accusations stem from claims that she accepted 11 cash payments from a defence contractor during her tenure as Minister of Defense from 2016 to 2019.
Following a raid on her Johannesburg residence and notification of impending charges, Mapisa-Nqakula resigned from her parliamentary and lawmaker positions after an unsuccessful attempt to block her arrest through legal means.
Asserting her commitment to facing trial and denying any flight risk, Mapisa-Nqakula highlighted the stakes involved, including the potential loss of her state pension and separation from her Johannesburg-based children.
Prosecutors did not contest Mapisa-Nqakula’s bail application, with her case adjourned until June 4, as authorities consider adding further defendants to the proceedings.
