South African Parliament Speaker Faces Corruption Charges

South African prosecutors plan to charge Parliament speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula with corruption after she was accused of taking $135,000 and a wig in bribes over three years as defence minister.

Mapisa-Nqakula has not been arrested or charged, but her claims that authorities didn’t properly inform her of the allegations or follow the correct procedure were made during a court hearing.

Prosecutors allowed her to hand herself in at a police station and be taken to court to be formally charged. Mapisa-Nqakula has denied wrongdoing and has taken a leave of absence from her role as Parliament speaker.

The case re-emerged after a whistleblower came forward last year. The case is the latest graft scandal to hit the ruling African National Congress party, which faces a pivotal national election on May 29.