South African Speaker Mapisa-Nqakula Corruption Investigation: Allegations of Bribery

South African Speaker Mapisa-Nqakula Corruption Investigation: Allegations of Bribery

2024-03-20 11:38:05

A former defense contractor accused Mapisa-Nqakula of soliciting bribes worth R2.3 million (regarding US$121,000).

Police raided the home of South African National Assembly Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula in Johannesburg on Tuesday as part of an investigation into allegations of corruption dating back to her role as minister of state. Defense, several years ago.

In a statement read to APA, the South African National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said members of its investigative unit had searched the residence of Ms. Mapisa-Nqakula, located in the Bruma area. in Johannesburg, without providing further details.

The search is widely believed to be linked to allegations made by a former defense contractor, accusing Mapisa-Nqakula of soliciting bribes worth R2.3 million (regarding US$121,000). ) between 2017 and 2019 while she was Minister of Defense.

The accusations follow a series of articles in the weekly Sunday Times reporting an investigation by the investigative unit into Mapisa-Nqakula, regarding allegations that she solicited and received up to 2 .3 million rand in cash, presented in gift bags by Nombasa Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu, a defense industry businesswoman and wife of an army general.

Mapisa-Nqakula has denied the allegations, and Parliament announced last week that she believed a search of her home would help prove her innocence.

« The President of Parliament remains firmly convinced of her innocence and reaffirms that she has nothing to hide “, the South African Parliament said in a statement, adding that it had ” welcomed investigators at his home, cooperating fully during the extensive search which lasted more than five hours ».

Ms Mapisa-Nqakula did not chair President Cyril Ramaphosa’s final question-and-answer session in the National Assembly on Tuesday.

JN/fss/ac/APA

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