Shaik's cross-examination over
2005-03-09 14:51
Durban - Prosecutor Billy Downer completed his cross-examination of fraud and corruption accused, Schabir Shaik, in the Durban High Court shortly before lunch on Wednesday.
Downer said: "I am indebted to the court for its indulgence, my lord... I appreciate your patience."
Shaik, who had been charged with one count of fraud and two of corruption, had been under cross-examination since Monday last week.
On Wednesday, an irritated Judge Hilary Squires asked Downer whether the "finishing post" was in sight.
Downer used Wednesday morning to wrap up what he called the "loose ends".
'Using black companies to get contracts'
When he got to the topic of talking to John Lennon, who wanted to open a tourism school in KwaZulu-Natal, Shaik said he was angry that foreign white companies were using black companies to get contracts in South Africa.
He said he needed to put it on record "and if I need to go to jail for that, I will".
Squires told him to just answer the question and Shaik replied that was just what he was doing.
He said what Lennon was doing was disempowerment and "I don't mind going back to the struggle to fight it".
The State alleged that Shaik used his ties with deputy president Jacob Zuma to become the black economic empowerment partner in the tourism school project.
Re-examination by Shaik's advocate Francois van Zyl was expected to take place after lunch.
- SAPA