Former SA Home Affairs minister’s wife Norma Gigaba in legal battle over arrest

Norma Gigaba, the wife of former home affairs minister Malusi Gigaba, has been charged with crimen injuria and damage to property and will approach the High Court to challenge her arrest, The Citizen writes.

Gigaba was arrested on Friday, 31 July over alleged damage done to a Mercedes Benz driven by her husband. She spent one night in holding cells before being released on Saturday, 1 August.

Gigaba appeared in the Hatfield Magistrate’s Court. Her legal representation included Dali Mpofu, SC, and Tembeka Ngcukaitobi, SC, well-renowned senior advocates. The matter was subsequently transferred to the regional court due to the value of the car exceeding R100,000 (U.S.$6,9000). It was then agreed that the case would be postponed to 14 September, according to Dali Mpofu.

Victor Nkwashu, who also represented Gigaba, informed journalists that the civil litigation against Gigaba’s arrest would include a challenge against the Hawks police unit’s involvement.

Speaking to News24, Hawks national spokesperson Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi had the following to to say over whether Norma Gigaba’s arrest was linked to a death threat made against her husband earlier this year: “There was an element of threat to his life in the nature of the offence; we had to get involved and deal with it. We have done what we had to do. That case now will be referred to the SAPS (SA Police Service) detective for further investigation.”

Source: allafrica.com