Norma Gigaba’s lawyer, Victor Nkhwashu, says the Hawks had seized his client’s devices as part of a criminal investigation into allegations that she had sent insulting text messages to an unidentified man.
Gigaba was arrested by the Hawks on Friday and spent the night in a police cell.
She is charged with crimen injuria and malicious damage to property after a domestic quarrel with her husband.
Nkhwashu addressed the media outside Brooklyn police station in Pretoria, where together with Gigaba had gone to collect her phone and laptop.
Former minister’s wife #nomagigaba#NormaGigaba
has arrived at the Brooklyn Police Station to fetch her devices, including cellphones and a laptop. Gigaba is also expected to brief the media outside the police station following her arrest over the weekend. #sabcnews pic.twitter.com/U3YhJxou9e— Ofentse Setimo?? (@Stimoroller) August 4, 2020
Her husband, the former Finance Minister, Malusi Gigaba laid criminal charges against his wife.
Nkwashu says his client did not consent to the seizure of her devices which have since been released.
Former Finance Minister Malusi Gigaba’s wife #nomagigaba says she has not been formally presented with a conspiracy to murder charge, by the police. She alledges, that her electronic devices were confiscated by the Hawks without a search and seizure warrant.#sabcnews #NormaGigaba pic.twitter.com/76wk6P0Sjr
— Ofentse Setimo?? (@Stimoroller) August 4, 2020
“They were ready by Monday, however, due to other commitments we were unable to collect them. They wanted to investigate all these four devices [that] were taken before her arrest. We have not been given copies of the docket and she was not shown any warrant of search and seizure or shown any warrant of taking those items,” explains Nkwashu.
On Monday, Gigaba’s case was postponed to September 14 in the Hatfield Magistrate’s Court in Pretoria.
