Batohi denies Mapisa-Nqakula ‘five-star treatment’ claims
National prosecutions head Shamila Batohi had defended the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) over its handling of the case involving former National Assembly Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula.
The NPA met with Mapisa-Nqakula's lawyers earlier this month before her appearance in court.
Mapisa-Nqakula subsequently resigned as speaker and MP before appearing in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court.
She was granted bail of R50,000.
The ANC heavyweight faces 12 counts of corruption and one of money laundering.
She is accused of soliciting bribes from Nombasa Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu, the sole director of logistics company Umkhombe, Marine, which did business with the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) during Mapisa-Nqakula’s term as defence minister.
The money laundering charge against the former speaker concerns her allegedly receiving various amounts of cash totalling R2,550,000 from Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu.
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Speaking at a media roundtable in Pretoria on Wednesday, Batohi said there was nothing out of the ordinary about the meeting with Nqakula's lawyers.
“The IE has also enrolled the case of the former speaker of Parliament, and in this regard, I want to deal with some of the criticism we’ve faced in the media where it’s been reported that the speaker received a five-star treatment in the way we tried to secure her appearance in court.
“This is completely wrong.
“In many of these cases involving white collar criminals, as prosecutors, we make arrangements with the lawyers, acting for the suspect to bring them to court. So, this is not unusual, and we will continue to do it.”
