State wants video link for witness in Shaik trial

The state has applied for a witness to give evidence via a video link from the United Kingdom in the Schabir Shaik fraud and corruption trial.

Professor John Lennon lives in Glasgow and is not able to come to South Africa before the court adjourns on December 10.

Prosecutor Billy Downer has asked Judge Hillary Squires to allow Lennon to give evidence from Glasgow on November 23 and 24 in the presence of a South African diplomatic official.

Downer said the two-day linkup would cost R36 000 and that the court would be able to see documents in Lennon’s possession shown on a big screen.

However, the Durban High Court would have to reconvene at the University of KwaZulu-Natal because the court does not have video conferencing facilities.

Downer said video conferencing was more cost effective than sending officials to Glasgow to take Lennon’s evidence.

The other alternative to be would to postpone Lennon’s testimony until he could travel to South Africa in February or March 2005 but said he did not want to delay the case unnecessarily.

He said there would be two big screens in South Africa and two at the University of Glasgow whereby Lennon could see himself and what was happening in South Africa on a screen and vice versa.

In the late 1990s, Lennon wanted to open a tourism school in KwaZulu-Natal. Deputy President Jacob Zuma was the province’s economic affairs and tourism minister at the time.

Zuma had allegedly asked Lennon to consider Shaik’s Nkobi Holdings as a preferred black empowerment partner. However, the school was never opened.

The state alleges that Shaik solicited a R500 000 per annum bribe for Zuma in exchange for protection during an investigation into arms deals irregularities.

The cross examination of forensic auditor Johan van der Walt is expected to continue after the state’s application. – Sapa