Hawks insist they did nothing wrong, after Norma Gigaba’s case postponed

Elite investigative unit, the Hawks, stand by their word that there was nothing illegal about the June arrest of former Cabinet minister Malusi Gigaba’s estranged wife Norma Mngoma (formally Gigaba).

Mngoma appeared briefly at the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court on Monday after her husband had her arrested in June, with her case being postponed.

The IT businesswoman was arrested on charges of crimen injuria and malicious damage to property, after allegedly vandalising a luxury car belonging to Gigaba’s friend. Mngoma has since had her home raided and her electronic devices seized by the Hawks, in a move she has alleged was illegal.

In September, shortly after her arrest, Mngoma approached the Pretoria High Court to have her arrest declared unlawful. In that matter she argues that her arrest was an orchestrated conspiracy to bully and intimidate her in order to gain access to her gadgets to delete certain information. She claims after getting her devices, there were indeed messages and images deleted from one of them, although the Hawks have insisted there was nothing illegal about their raid.

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Speaking on Mngoma’s conspiracy allegations, Mulaudzi says what she is claiming wouldn’t make sense.

“That is her own assertion and when it comes to seizure of devices we wouldn’t even go that far, what would be the point? What purpose would it serve? But like I say, let’s leave it for the courts to decide.

“From our side, we are clear from the beginning to say, if she has a problem she should approach the courts, for relief. As far as we are concerned, everything was done legally and as such we still maintain that it was done within the confines of the law,” said Mulaudzi.

Out on R5 000 bail since June, Mngoma not only dropped her husband’s surname following the apparent feud, but has claimed her arrest and the raid on her property are all an attempt to intimidate her following an alleged threat on her life.

According to her lawyer, Victor Nkwatshu, the case has been postponed to 11 October, to allow the state to give an outstanding disclosure to Mngoma’s defence team and to allow the processes of the high court to be concluded.

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