His predecessor, Bulelani Ngcuka resigned his position in the wake of an unsuccessful smear campaign against him involving supporters of convicted fraudster Schabir Shaik.

Schabir Shaik, the financial advisor to the president of the African National Congress party Jacob Zuma, was found guilty of organising a bribe on behalf of Thales.

Schabir Shaik is a South African businessman from the Berea, Durban, who rose to prominence due to his close association with South African President Jacob Zuma during his time as Deputy President.

* The Schabir Shaik trial story in short from the Arms Deal Virtual Press Office

* Schabir Shaik on Trial, a special feature from SABCnews. com

af: Schabir Shaik

* 8 June – Schabir Shaik is found guilty and is sentenced to 15 years on two counts of corruption and 3 years on a count of fraud.

" In October, it failed in its bid to force the court to allow a live broadcast of the proceedings of the Schabir Shaik trial.

Hilary Gwyn Squires is a retired South African judge and barrister, who was brought in to preside over the Schabir Shaik fraud and corruption trial in Durban, South Africa, so as not to tie up legal proceedings elsewhere while the trial proceeded.

Squires was accused by supporters of Schabir Shaik and then-Deputy President Jacob Zuma of being racist, because of his Rhodesian background, and the fact that he was a white judge who served under the apartheid regime.

Past targets have included former South African president Thabo Mbeki, former South African Deputy President and now President of South Africa Jacob Zuma, businessman Schabir Shaik and Winnie Mandela.

The case, tried in Durban High Court before Judge Hilary Squires, proved the fraudulent and corrupt relationship between Durban-based businessman Schabir Shaik and South African politician and anti-apartheid leader Jacob Zuma.

After Shaik's brother Chippy was suspended from the Department of Defence for his involvement in a corrupt arms deal, Schabir Shaik was arrested in 2001 for the possession of secret documents, after which investigators found that he was involved in corrupt dealings with Zuma as well as fraud.

Schabir Shaik, a member of the wealthy and important Shaik family of Durban, proved to be important in reestablishing Zuma's life.

Alan Thétard, then one of Thomson-CSF ’ s directors, met with Schabir Shaik in Durban on 30 September 1999, during the course of which it was agreed that Thétard would give Shaik money to cover Zuma ’ s debts in exchange for Zuma ’ s protection from the commission investigating the arms deal, and ongoing support for any future Thomson-CSF deals with the South African government.

He stated that " we UDM hope that this was merely phase one of the prosecution process: Schabir Shaik has been prosecuted as the corruptor.

Independent Democrats leader Patricia de Lille also said the sentence should prove a deterrent: " Schabir Shaik has been handed the justice all South Africans needed to hear and that this should prove as a deterrent for anyone in the future.

# The Star: The Story of the State v Schabir Shaik and Others

# The Star: The story of the State v Schabir Shaik and others

# IPO Africa: The State Versus Schabir Shaik

* News24: Schabir Shaik Trial.

* SABC News: Schabir Shaik Trial.

* 14 June – Jacob Zuma is relieved of his post as Deputy President of South Africa, following the verdict in Schabir Shaik's trial on the 8th.

Schabir Shaik's trial started amid an intense media circus in the Durban High Court.

# REDIRECT Schabir Shaik trial

# REDIRECT Schabir Shaik trial

The photograph of Schabir Shaik is important as it shows the character and nature of the person under discussion in the articles about him.

Following investigations of alleged corruption in case of the South African Arms Deal, raids were commenced at the houses of Deputy President Jacob Zuma, former Transport Minister Mac Maharaj and Durban businessman Schabir Shaik.

In addition, he fought a long legal battle over allegations of racketeering and corruption, resulting from his financial advisor Schabir Shaik's conviction for corruption and fraud.

A live broadcast from the SABC 3 of Judge Hilary Squires reading Schabir Shaik's sentence.

Judge Hilary Squires reads the sentence of Schabir Shaik.

Shaik was put on trial for fraud and corruption at the Durban High Court from 11 October 2004.

During the course of the trial, Shaik admitted that he falsified his qualifications and business achievements.

Zuma said that when he was asked in Parliament if the revelations at the Shaik trial were a blot on the moral regeneration programme headed by him, he replied, " not at all, I don't look at it that way.

The formal part of the trial ended shortly after the defence counsel asked the court to consider the possibility that Shaik had sought a bribe of R500, 000 ( US $ 77, 000 ) a year from Thompson-CSF without Zuma's knowledge.

Notyhawa said that Cosatu had never objected to the trial of Shaik, but he went on to say that " what we object to is that the judge erred in implicating a person who has not been part of the proceedings and has been denied his right to respond in a proper forum ".

# IPO Africa: Shaik faces 2004 high court trial

# News24: MEC to testify in Shaik trial

# iAfrica: De Lille testifies at Shaik trial

Nkobi Holding was initially wholly owned by Shaik.

The shareholding went through various permutations subsequently, however Shaik was at all relevant times a director of, and exercised effective control over, all the corporate entities within the Nkobi group.

His brother, Chippy Shaik, was in charge of arms acquisition at the Department of Defence, which allowed Shaik to bid on a lucrative contract to supply Valour class patrol corvettes to the South African Navy.

Shaik was found guilty on two counts of corruption and one count of fraud, with judge Squires stating in his 165-page verdict that there was " overwhelming " evidence of a corrupt relationship between Shaik and Zuma.

The fraud charge related to testimony by Ahmed Paruk, Shaik's auditor, that Shaik held a meeting with him and Shaik's financial manager, where it was agreed that false journal entries be made in order to alter Nkobi Holdings ' financial statements.

On 3 March 2009 Shaik was released on medical parole, after serving two years and four months of his 15-year prison term.

The head of cardiology at Inkosi Albert Lutuli hospital in Durban, Professor DP Naidoo, personally discharged Shaik in December 2008 because he was considered well enough to leave.

While most reference books have his full name as " Sabu Dastagir ", research by journalist Philip Leibfried suggests that was his brother's name, and that Sabu was in fact Selar Shaik Sabu or Sabu Francis.

Shaik, who was Zuma's financial advisor at the time, knew that Zuma could never afford to repay the sum of the loans on his salary.

Shaik did not expect to be paid back, however, as he was buying influence with Zuma, which was used to win government contracts for his company, Nkobi Holdings.