corruption charges - The African Mirror

Apr

2024

S.African parliament ex-speaker charged with graft, granted bail

SOUTH African prosecutors charged former National Assembly speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula with corruption and money laundering, a day after she resigned following an inquiry into alleged graft during her time as defence minister. She was granted bail by a court in the capital Pretoria shortly after the charges were made public. Mapisa-Nqakula has denied any wrongdoing. Mapisa-Nqakula, 67, whose residence was raided by investigators last month as part of the inquiry, had also resigned as a member of the parliament on Wednesday. Lead prosecutor Bheki Manyathi told the Pretoria Magistrate's Court that Mapisa-Nqakula was being charged with 12 counts of corruption and one of money…

Jan

2024

By XINGHUI KOK

Singapore minister charged with corruption resigns

WORLD

SINGAPORE'S Transport Minister S. Iswaran was charged with 27 offences in a graft investigation, the anti-corruption agency said, in one of the highest-profile cases involving a minister in the Asian financial hub in decades. In a resignation letter dated Tuesday but published by the prime minister's office on Thursday, Iswaran said he rejected the charges and "will now focus on clearing my name". The Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) said Iswaran, who was arrested in July last year, was alleged to have obtained kickbacks worth S$384,340.98 ($286,181) from property tycoon Ong Beng Seng, partly to advance Ong's business interests. Charge…

May

2023

By The African Mirror

Analysis: Pakistan in uncharted territory as army seeks to vanquish Imran Khan

WORLD

GIBRAN NAIYYAR PESHIMAM PAKISTAN'S military has struck back after an unprecedented challenge to its hegemony by the popular Imran Khan and his followers, but the nuclear-armed nation remains caught between its most powerful institution and the man who was once a firm ally. Khan's arrest on corruption charges earlier this month, which he says was at the behest of the generals, led to violent nationwide protests, and attacks on military buildings and on the homes of senior officers, allegedly by the former prime minister's supporters. There has never been that kind of challenge to Pakistan's military, which has held sway over the country…

May

2023

By The African Mirror

Wife of Pakistan’s Imran Khan, charged with graft, is known for spirituality

WORLD

ASIF SHAHZAD BUSHRA Khan, the wife of Pakistan's former Prime Minister Imran Khan, is facing corruption charges in the same case that led to his arrest on May 9. On Monday, he accompanied her to a court that granted her protective bail. She is known for her spirituality and devotion to Sufism, a mystical form of Islam. Khan, 70, has often called Bushra his spiritual leader. Born Bushra Riaz Watto, she changed her name to Khan after her marriage. Her husband and followers commonly refer to her as Bushra Bibi or Bushra Begum, titles that in Urdu denote respect. She has kept a low profile since her…

May

2023

By GIBRAN NAIYYAR PESHIMAM, ASIF SHAHZAD and ARIBA SHAHID

Pakistan cracks down on Imran Khan’s supporters after violence

WORLD

POLICE in Pakistan have arrested hundreds of supporters of ousted Prime Minister Imran Khan for violence after his arrest on corruption charges, authorities said, deepening a political crisis in the nuclear-armed country. Tuesday's arrest of the former cricket hero, and Pakistan's most popular politician according to opinion polls, came at a precarious time for the country that is facing a shortage of foreign exchange and a months-long delay of an IMF bailout. Mobile data services were shut for a second day while Twitter, YouTube and Facebook were disrupted, as security forces tried to restore order after violence killed one person late…

Mar

2023

By The African Mirror

Malaysia’s ex-PM Muhyiddin to face multiple graft charges

WORLD

MALAYSIA'S anti-corruption agency said it would charge former Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin with multiple counts of corruption, a move that he called political persecution. The charges come just three months after Muhyiddin lost a closely fought general election to Anwar Ibrahim, and are likely to increase political tensions in Malaysia, which has seen four prime ministers since 2018. Muhyuddin will be charged under laws related to abuse of power and money laundering in a Kuala Lumpur court on Friday over an economic recovery project launched by his government, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) said. Muhyiddin denied accusations of wrongdoing and…

Jul

2022

By The African Mirror

Ex-Fifa Boss Blatter, Platini cleared of fraud

NEWS

FORMER FIFA President Sepp Blatter and France footballing legend Michel Platini were both cleared of corruption charges by a Swiss court after a seven-year investigation during which they were booted out of the sport. A judge said the pair's account of a 'gentlemen's agreement' for FIFA to pay Platini 2 million Swiss francs ($2.05 million) for consulting work was credible, and serious doubts existed about the prosecution's allegation it was a fraudulent payment. As a result Blatter, who led FIFA for 17 years, was cleared of fraud by the Federal Criminal Court in the southern city of Bellinzona. Platini, a…

Jun

2021

By The African Mirror

Boost for SA’s hunt for the Guptas

NEWS

THE United Arab Emirates has ratified a 2018 extradition treaty with South Africa, its embassy in Pretoria said on Wednesday, a move that President Cyril Ramaphosa's government hopes will lead to the return of the Gupta brothers to face corruption charges. South Africa signed the treaty with the UAE in late 2018, part of Ramaphosa's effort to crack down on those accused of corruption and influence peddling under his predecessor, Jacob Zuma. It was ratified in April, UAE's embassy said in a statement. The Gupta brothers - Atul, Ajay and Rajesh Gupta - are accused of using connections with Zuma…

May

2021

By The African Mirror

Magashule ordered to apologise or face DC

NEWS

SUSPENDED ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule has been ordered to apologise publicly for attempting to suspend the party’s president Cyril Ramaphosa. The ANC national executive committee (NEC), which met over the past three days, will Magashule a set period to apologise for his flagrant violation of ANC constitution and processes or face disciplinary action. These outcomes were disclosed by Ramaphosa, who held a media briefing to share the resolutions of the NEC. “The NEC agreed that such conduct was completely unacceptable and a flagrant violation of the rules, norms and values of the ANC. The NEC further more instructed the officials…

May

2021

By The African Mirror

Magashule’s supporters plan a revolt to bring ANC to its knees

NEWS

SUPPORTERS of suspended ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule, stung by his ejection out of a national executive committee (NEC) meeting, are planning a "mother of all revolts" to bring the already deeply divided ANC to its knees. The tactics of Magashule's supporters include using information supplied by his allies inside the party to force the ANC leadership to capitulate bring him back or force a way to topple ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa. They are planning a series of co-ordinated events that will build up to a shutdown of South Africa. The Magashule supporters, among them the so-called RET forces within the…