Mapisa-Nqakula's bid for acquittal dismissed in Pretoria High Court

Former National Assembly Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula has failed in her attempt to be acquitted of corruption charges, after the Pretoria High Court dismissed her discharge application on Monday.

Mapisa-Nqakula faces 12 counts of corruption and one of money laundering, stemming from allegations that she solicited corrupt payments from South African National Defence Force (Sandf) contractor Nombasa Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu between 2016 and 2019, while serving as Defence Minister, Kgomotso Modise reports for EWN.

In a judgment lasting almost two hours, Judge Mashudu Munzhelele worked through each of the 13 counts against Mapisa-Nqakula, ultimately ruling that the state had established a prima facie case on all of them.

“The evidence is therefore sufficient to require the accused to answer count 13,” Munzhelele said, delivering her order that the applic ation for discharge in terms of Section 174, in respect of all counts, was denied. Mapisa-Nqakula nodded gently in the dock as the judgment was read out. She must now prepare her defence to answer the evidence presented by the state.