Fraud and Corruption
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.
The trial ended on 4 May 2005, with Judge Hilary Squires delivering his verdict on 2 June. 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. The second corruption charge relates to alleged attempts to solicit a bribe to Zuma from Thomson CSF.
On 8 June he was sentenced to 15 years' imprisonment on each of the two counts of corruption, as well as 3 years on the count of fraud. The sentences will run concurrently, giving him an effective 15 year prison term. He has been given leave to appeal against this sentence on 26 July, and his bail has been extended until then. His appeal to the Supreme Court of Appeal failed on 6 November
As a consequence of the ruling, Zuma was dismissed from his post as deputy president by President Thabo Mbeki on 14 June.
On 2 October 2007 his appeal to the Constitutional Court for his conviction and sentence for corruption and fraud was turned down with the court ruling that "An appeal against conviction and sentence does not bear any reasonable prospect of success".
However, the court ruled that there might be a constitutional issue related to the seizure of assets belonging to him and his company and granted leave to appeal on that point. The court dismissed this appeal in April 2008. Prosecutor in the case, Anton Steynberg, said afterwards that Shaik's only option now is to petition then-President Kgalema Motlanthe.
Read more about this topic: Schabir Shaik
Famous quotes containing the words fraud and, fraud and/or corruption:
“There exists in a great part of the Northern people a gloomy diffidence in the moral character of the government. On the broaching of this question, as general expression of despondency, of disbelief that any good will accrue from a remonstrance on an act of fraud and robbery, appeared in those men to whom we naturally turn for aid and counsel. Will the American government steal? Will it lie? Will it kill?—We ask triumphantly.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)
“There exists in a great part of the Northern people a gloomy diffidence in the moral character of the government. On the broaching of this question, as general expression of despondency, of disbelief that any good will accrue from a remonstrance on an act of fraud and robbery, appeared in those men to whom we naturally turn for aid and counsel. Will the American government steal? Will it lie? Will it kill?—We ask triumphantly.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)
“Every clique is a refuge for incompetence. It fosters corruption and disloyalty, it begets cowardice, and consequently is a burden upon and a drawback to the progress of the country. Its instincts and actions are those of the pack.”
—Madame Chiang Kai-Shek (b. 1898)