Ms Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, the ex-wife of Nelson Mandela, pleaded not guilty today in her South African fraud trial.
Ms Madikizela-Mandela, dubbed the "Mother of the Nation," and her co-accused, broker Mr Addy Moolman, are facing 85 charges of fraud and theft involving more than $100,000. Mr Moolman also pleaded not guilty to all 60 charges of fraud and 25 of theft.
The trial was moved from yesterday after Ms Madikizela-Mandela's lawyer, Mr Ismael Semenya, asked for more details of the case against his client.
Magistrate Peet Johnson rejected an application by Mr Semenya today to get the 60 charges of fraud against her dropped on the grounds that the state had not provided enough information.
The 65-year-old leader of the women's wing of the ruling African National Congress (ANC) and Mr Moolman are suspects in what prosecutors say was a scheme involving the use of her signature to obtain bank loans fraudulently.
Mr Moolman is accused of obtaining personal loans for fictitious ANC Women's League employees from a local bank using Ms Madikizela-Mandela's name and letterhead.
The two face up to 15 years in jail if convicted on all 85 charges. The trial is expected to end late next week.
The trial is the latest controversy to swirl around Ms Madikizela-Mandela. Last month, she snubbed a parliamentary committee which had summoned her to explain how she lived a lavish lifestyle on her MP's salary.
In February, she was evicted from the Soweto house she used to share with Mr Mandela before he began his 27 years in apartheid jails. While he was imprisoned, she was a fearsome opponent of the white minority regime and was constantly harassed by the state.
But she was later nicknamed the "Mugger of the Nation" after revelations about the violent activities of her "Mandela United Football Club" group of enforcers.
She was convicted in 1991 for the kidnapping of 14-year-old township activist Stompie Seipei, whose decomposed body was found near her home with his throat cut. But she was acquitted of murder and her six-year jail term was reduced to a fine on appeal.
Her reputation was further knocked when Mandela sacked her from his ANC-dominated government in 1995 and divorced her for adultery a year later.