Bribes and wigs for the President of the South African Parliament?

South African prosecutors said Monday they intend to charge the speaker of parliament with corruption, after she allegedly received $135,000 and a wig in bribes over a three-year period, while she was Minister of Defense.

President Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula has not been arrested or charged. Prosecutors spoke at a court hearing about her claims that authorities failed to properly inform her of the allegations or follow the correct procedure.

The judge was expected to rule on suspending the arrest during the day on Monday.

In court documents submitted for the hearing, prosecutors say Mapisa-Nqakula received 11 payments totaling $135,000 between December 2016 and July 2019. She demanded another bribe of $105,000. dollars, but which was not paid, prosecutors said.

On one occasion, in February 2019, Mapisa-Nqakula received more than $15,000 and a wig during a meeting at the country's main international airport, according to the documents. The person who allegedly paid the bribes has not been named.

Prosecutors gave her the option to go to a police station and be brought to court to be formally charged. They said they would not oppose his release on bail.

Ms Mapisa-Nqakula has denied wrongdoing and said she would co-operate with authorities after they searched her Johannesburg home and seized evidence last week.

She took leave from her post as Speaker of Parliament. She was previously accused of accepting bribes, but a parliamentary investigation was abandoned in 2021. The case resurfaced after a whistleblower came forward last year, according to prosecutors.

The affair is the latest corruption scandal to hit the ruling African National Congress party, which faces crucial national elections on May 29.