Publication: Sapa Issued: Johannesburg Date: 2005-11-15 Reporter: Sapa

Shaik Appeal Could Have Major Bearing on Zuma Trial

 

Publication 

Sapa
BC-COURT-SHAIK-ZUMA

Date

2005-11-15

Issued

Johannesburg

Reporter

 Sapa

 

If Durban businessman Schabir Shaik wins his appeal against fraud and corruption charges this would have a major bearing on the trial of axed deputy president Jacob Zuma.

This is the view of David Unterhalter, head of the law school at the University of the Witwatersrand.

On Tuesday the Supreme Court of Appeal granted Shaik leave to appeal against a corruption charge against which Judge Hilary Squires had refused him leave to appeal in the Durban High Court.

The charge related to what Squires called "a generally corrupt relationship" between Shaik and Zuma.

The Durban High Court had granted Shaik leave to challenge, on limited grounds, another corruption conviction and one of fraud.

"Zuma is, in a sense, the other party in the corrupt relationship, so it would be hugely influential on the outcome, on the assumption that there is not very different evidence," Unterhalter said.

With acknowledgements to Sapa.