Mapisa-Nqakula Urgently Attempts to Prevent Her Arrest, Requests Evidence of Accusations Against Her

National Assembly Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula has reportedly been implicated in a bribery scandal involving over R2.3 million, dating back to her tenure as defence minister. The allegations led the Investigating Directorate to launch a search and seizure operation at her home. Now, Mapisa-Nqakula has filed an urgent legal application to prevent her arrest, requesting instead that she be summoned to appear in court.

Hours after announcing her special leave, Mapisa-Nqakula made an immediate effort to stop law enforcement from arresting her on corruption charges, stating that there is “no case” against her. In her legal documents, she proclaimed her innocence and claimed that her potential arrest is a threat to her health and life without being a flight risk. She went on to file an application in the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria requesting that the officials investigating her be prohibited from arresting her under sections of the Criminal Procedure Act.

Furthermore, Mapisa-Nqakula seeks to have law enforcement organise a date with her lawyers for her to be summoned to the magistrate’s court authorized to handle her initial court appearance. She is also insisting that the state provide her attorneys with full access to the evidence against her. Based on media reports, Mapisa-Nqakula is accused of accepting ten cash payments totalling over R2.3 million from an anonymous whistleblower between 2016 and 2019 while serving as defence minister.

The corruption charges were reportedly related to a defence contract and were presented to the Parliament’s Joint Standing Committee on Defence in 2021, following an inquiry request by United Democratic Movement leader Bantu Holomisa. However, due to lack of cooperation from the whistleblower, the inquiry was discontinued in September 2021. Mapisa-Nqakula’s legal action against the state comes after a search and seizure raid was executed on her home last week by the National Prosecuting Authority’s Investigating Directorate.

Mapisa-Nqakula claims she was advised by her lawyer that the search warrant is likely unlawful and not to consent to any search until her legal team could review the underlying evidence. She alleges the investigators entered her home without her permission and seemed to be looking for cash. They allegedly also inquired about foreign currency and seized a wig of hers. The Speaker continues to fight the allegations, maintaining that she is innocent and seeking to prevent her arrest.