The South African National Assembly speaker has resigned over corruption allegations and handed herself over to the police.
"Today, April 3rd, I have submitted to the Acting Speaker of the National Assembly, Hon. Lechesa Tsenoli, my letter of resignation as both the Speaker of the National Assembly and a Member of Parliament of the Republic of South Africa," Mapisa-Nqakula said in a statement.
"I have made this conscious decision to dedicate my time and focus to deal with the recently announced investigation against me by our country's law enforcement agencies," she said
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The 67-year-old veteran of the ruling African National Congress (ANC) has been accused of soliciting a cash bribe of about 2.3 million rands (about 120,000 US dollars) from a former military contractor while serving as defense minister from 2016 to 2019.
The speaker took "special leave" from her parliamentary post on March 21 following an early morning raid by a special investigative team on her Johannesburg residence.
Last week, she made an urgent legal plea to stop her probable arrest, but a judge at the North Gauteng High Legal in Pretoria rejected her motion Tuesday.
According to court documents, Mapisa-Nqakula may face 12 corruption charges for allegedly soliciting bribes totaling 4.5 million rands while serving as defense minister.
Mapisa-Nqakula has emphasized that her resignation was "in no way an indication or admission of guilt for what she is accused of doing.
"I believe that, at the right time, I will have the opportunity to thoroughly address these allegations as and when they have been formally brought against me in the appropriate forums, at which time I will clear my good name," she said. "I maintain my innocence and am determined to restore my good reputation."
"Given the public trust entrusted in me as the Speaker of our National Assembly and the need for me to protect the image of our organization, the African National Congress, I have an obligation ... to step down from my office," she added.
