Court Rejects Mapisa-Nqakula's Bid to End Corruption Trial

The Gauteng High Court in Pretoria has dismissed an application by former National Assembly Speaker and defence minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula to have corruption and money laundering charges thrown out. Judge Mashudu Munzhelele ruled that the state presented enough prima facie evidence to require the accused to answer the charges, meaning the trial will proceed to the defence stage. Mapisa-Nqakula faces 12 counts of corruption and one count of money laundering. She has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

The state alleges that between 2016 and 2019, Mapisa-Nqakula solicited approximately R4.5 million in bribes from Nombasa Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu, a defence contractor. Reports indicate that about R2.1 million of this was allegedly paid in cash. One source further notes that the state alleges a portion of these funds, totaling about R1.8 million, was used for renovations to Mapisa-Nqakula's home.

The defence team, led by Siyabulela Mapoma SC, argued for a discharge under section 174 of the Criminal Procedure Act. They contended that the prosecution relied too heavily on the testimony of a single witness, Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu, and that the evidence was circumstantial or contradictory. The defence also challenged the validity of WhatsApp messages and argued that certain words used in communications were ordinary terms rather than coded references to money.

Judge Munzhelele rejected these arguments, stating that it would be inappropriate to discharge the applicant at this stage. Regarding the alleged code words such as "wig," "impepho," "snuff," "medicine," "padkos," and "indumba," the judge noted that while such evidence must be approached with caution, the state had established a sufficient case to proceed. The court also ruled that the absence of the police officer who printed the WhatsApp records did not make the communications inadmissible.