Developing story: this report follows our earlier coverage of the trial resuming and will be updated as proceedings at the Pretoria High Court continue.

Former National Assembly Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula has finished giving evidence in her corruption trial in the Pretoria High Court, and her defence is now moving to call further witnesses. She has pleaded not guilty and is presumed innocent unless a court finds otherwise.

The defence is expected to call a new witness on Friday morning, defence lawyer Siyabulela Mapoma told the court, according to reports. The witness has not been named publicly. Mapoma said the evidence was expected to be brief.

What the State alleges

Mapisa-Nqakula faces 12 counts of corruption and one count of money laundering. The State alleges that while she was defence minister, between 2016 and 2019, she solicited about R4.5 million in corrupt payments from a Defence Force contractor and received roughly R2 million in cash. It alleges she used that cash to pay for renovations at her home.

What she told the court

According to reports of her testimony, Mapisa-Nqakula denied receiving a wig as part of the alleged bribes and said the State's contractor witness was lying under oath. She suggested the witness was trying to secure immunity from the Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC). The contractor testified under an indemnity agreement with the directorate.

On income that she had not declared, she called the omission a mistake and said she had forgotten to include it. "I am hiding nothing," she is quoted as saying.

Reluctant witnesses

Mapoma told the court that two other witnesses, both Defence Force finance officials, are likely to be subpoenaed to testify on Monday. He said the defence had given their names to the State. "They were then visited and after that, they became reluctant to talk to us," he said. That is the defence's account and has not been tested in court.

What we do not yet know

  • The identity of Friday's witness and what they will say.
  • Who visited the two officials and what was said.
  • When the defence case will close, and when the trial will resume after Monday. No dates were reported.