State to oppose Mapisa-Nqakula application to have it turn over evidence-gathering process documents

JOHANNESBURG - The State said it aims to oppose Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula’s application to have it turn over documents relating to the evidence-gathering process in her corruption case.

Mapisa-Nqakula made a brief appearance on Wednesday at the Pretoria High Court, where she is charged with twelve counts of corruption and one of money laundering.

It is alleged that between 2016 and 2019, as defence minister, Mapisa-Nqakula received and solicited kickbacks amounting to R4.5 million from Nombasa Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu, whose company was a service provider to the defence department at the time.

The lawyers of former parliamentary Speaker Mapisa-Nqakula said they intend on filing an application to have the State disclose sections B and C of the police docket.

Section B deals with official correspondence between investigating officers and the prosecutor, while section C is an investigating diary that contains timelines and dates of the entire investigation process.

The spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA)’s Investigative Directorate, Henry Mamothame, said: "The State intends opposing this application. This matter was transferred to the High Court for pre-trial conferencing but had to be postponed for an application on further disclosures to be heard by the court."

The matter returns to court on 5 December for arguments.