DISCHARGE APPLICATION: Mapisa-Nqakula trial: State ‘proves millions changed hands, but not the quid pro quo’
In about a week, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula will likely know her fate in her R4.55m corruption and money laundering trial, after her lawyers argued that the State’s evidence was too weak to sustain the case against her.
A High Court in Pretoria may soon decide whether former Defence Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula should be discharged from her corruption and money laundering trial, after her lawyers argued that the State's evidence was insufficient to secure a conviction. The R4.55 million case stems from allegations that Nombasa Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu paid her while Mapisa-Nqakula was in the role.
The defence argues that the evidence presented by the State is weak, pointing to inconsistencies and unreliable WhatsApp messages. Judge Mashudu Munzhelele appeared surprised by a witness admitting the payment but questioned the expectation of benefits in return. The defence also scrutinized the reliability of the WhatsApp evidence presented, questioning how the messages were authenticated and whether they truly represented the conversations between the parties.
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