By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Former Speaker of National Assembly and African National Congress (MP) Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula’s corruption case has been postponed.
Mapisa-Nqakula appeared before the High Court in Pretoria on corruption and money-laundering charges.
She faces 12 counts of corruption and one count of money laundering.
The charges relate to her tenure between 2016 and 2019 when she was minister of defence. Mapisa-Nqakula allegedly solicited R4.5 million from a service provider of the department of defence and military veterans.
During Wednesday’s proceedings, state prosecutor Bheki Manyathi informed the judge that the defence was seeking to have access to Sections B and C of the police docket in the case.
“The date of hearing of the application is 5 December and again by mutual agreement, we ask to set timelines [for] the defence to apply by 28 October,” the prosecutor said.
Manyathi stated that it was agreed the state would file its response to the application by 15 November, with the defence expected to submit their replying affidavit 10 days later by 25 November.
Both parties are required to submit their heads of argument by 2 December.
Mapisa-Nqakula’s lawyer, Advocate Reginald Willis, confirmed these arrangements, but Judge Mokhine “Papi” Mosopa expressed dissatisfaction with the developments.
“I am not satisfied about this arrangement because these are the things that should have been done by the lower court before this matter is transferred to this court.
“Matters must be transferred to this court when they are trial ready, but in the interests of justice I am amenable to grant this request,” the judge said.
Mosopa reluctantly postponed the matter to 5 December and extended Mapisa-Nqakula’s bail on similar conditions.