00:00A new defense witness is expected to take the stand on Friday in the corruption trial of former National Assembly
00:07Speaker Nociviwe Mapisa Nkakula.
00:10She faces 12 counts of corruption and one of money laundering stemming from her time as Minister of Defense.
00:16The state alleges she solicited $266,000 in kickbacks from a military contractor in exchange for using her influence to
00:25secure tenders.
00:26Prosecutors say the former defense minister ultimately pocketed $130,000 and used it to pay the contractors who renovated her
00:34house in cash.
00:35She's denied all the charges and resigned as parliamentary speaker in March 2024 amid the allegations.
00:43Her lawyer says two other reluctant witnesses, both officials in the Defense Force Finance Department, are being subpoenaed.
00:51Mapisa Nkakula returned to the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria on Wednesday to resume her testimony after her trial was
00:58paused in September when she fell ill on the stand.
01:00A warrant for her arrest was authorized on the 2nd of October after she failed to appear in court, but
01:06was held until her next scheduled appearance this Wednesday.
