Trial
Schabir Shaik's trial started amid an intense media circus in the Durban High Court. Shaik pleaded not guilty to charges of corruption and fraud on 10 October 2004. He asserted in his plea explanation that the State had misunderstood his dealings with Zuma. He agreed that there was a financial relationship between Zuma and him, but that it was not a corrupt one as the payments he made to Zuma were loans made in friendship. He did not ask for any interest in the loans because it "offended his religious convictions". The loans had been made on a revolving credit agreement. He also denied allegations of fraud, saying money was mistakenly written off in his company's books, but that this was later fixed. To allegations that he was involved in soliciting a bribe for Zuma, he replied that he knew nothing.
In lead prosecutor Billy Downer's opening address, he said his case would be based on facts and patterns and that "we will principally be talking of the arms deal." The first charge against Shaik was one of general corruption. In their efforts to prove this charge, the State led a number of witnesses to show, as explained by Downer, that Zuma was "on retainer for Shaik."
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