Cape Town — The state has criticised the Parliament Speaker Nosivwe Mapisa-Nqakula’s attempts to block her impending arrest, saying she has no right to do so.
Mapisa-Nqakula faces imminent arrest over a R2.3 million bribery charge she solicited during her time as defence minister. She launched an urgent interdict to have have arrest delayed and was scheduled to appear in court this morning, but it was delayed until 3pm today (25 March).
Lead prosecutor Advocate Bheki Manyathi said she doesn’t have a right to evade being arrested and that they can’t “be seen to be dictated to by a suspect on how and when to enroll her matter” as this would “create a dangerous precedent”, EWN reported.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said it would ask for a “substantial amount” of bail so that she won’t abscond, with Manyathi saying the state would not oppose bail, but it would demand a substantial amount, The Citizen reported.
“I have made it clear to the applicant’s legal representative (Stephen May) that the state will not oppose bail. However, it is still imperative that the applicant be processed so that her matter is enrolled for trial.”
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Manyathi is adamant that the state never threatened to arrest Mapisa-Nqakula without her lawyers being present.
The NPA also said it seized a wig from the raid on Mapisa-Nqakula’s house, allegedly received as a bribe as a gratification gift from a witness. Manyathi said the search was to look for specific items, according to SowetanLIVE.
“We applied for a search warrant against the applicant to search for certain items. We wanted to search and seize two handbags, a wig and documents relating to the renovations on her house. The wig was recovered during the lawful search at her residence. The total amount in cash given to the applicant was R2,550,000,” Manyathi said.
He said there is evidence that Mapisa-Nqakula requested bribes.
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Compiled by Matthew Petersen
