Mapisa-Nqakula Warrant Issued After No-Show In Corruption Trial

A warrant of arrest has been authorised for former National Assembly Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula after she failed to appear at the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria for the continuation of her corruption and money-laundering trial.

Mapisa-Nqakula was expected back in the witness box on Friday, 2 October, but did not attend court after falling ill during proceedings earlier in the week.

Her defence counsel, Siyabulela Mapoma, submitted a medical certificate to the court and applied for the matter to be postponed. The State confirmed that it had received the medical report and did not oppose the postponement.

The warrant has been held over until Mapisa-Nqakula's next scheduled court appearance on 11 November. The trial is expected to continue from 11 to 20 November, with a further session scheduled for 30 November to 4 December.

Mapisa-Nqakula faces corruption and money-laundering charges

Mapisa-Nqakula is facing 12 counts of corruption and one count of money laundering linked to her time as Defence and Military Veterans Minister between 2016 and 2019.

The State alleges that she solicited and received about R4.5 million in corrupt payments from SANDF contractor Nombasa Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu.

The National Prosecuting Authority has said the case involves allegations that R2.1 million of the money was allegedly received in cash. Mapisa-Nqakula has denied the charges.

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Sandton Restaurant Toilet Incident: Man Granted R15,000 Bail

The High Court previously dismissed her application for a discharge under Section 174 of the Criminal Procedure Act. Judge Mashudu Munzhelele found that there was a prima facie case for her to answer, allowing the trial to continue.

The ‘wig’ at the centre of WhatsApp evidence

Mapisa-Nqakula's testimony has also focused on WhatsApp conversations between herself and Ntsondwa-Ndlovu.

During cross-examination, she maintained that references to a “wig” in the messages were about an actual gift rather than coded language referring to money.

The State has questioned Mapisa-Nqakula about her repeated references to the wig in conversations with the contractor. Ntsondwa-Ndlovu previously testified that terms including “wig” were allegedly used as coded references for money requests, an interpretation Mapisa-Nqakula disputes.

Mapisa-Nqakula's testimony was interrupted earlier this week after she became unwell while giving evidence. She was due to resume her testimony under cross-examination on Friday before her latest absence resulted in the warrant being authorised.