The Schabir Shaik trial was one of the most important court trials in post-apartheid South Africa. The case, tried in Durban High Court before Judge Hilary Squires, proved the fraudulent and corrupt relationship between a Durban-based businessman named Schabir Shaik and South African politician and anti-apartheid leader Jacob Zuma. After Shaik's brother Chippy was suspended from the Ministry of Defence for his involvement in a corrupt arms deal, Schabir Shaik was arrested in 2001 for the possession of secret documents, after which investigators found that he was involved in corrupt dealings with Zuma as well as fraud. He was brought to trial in October 2004, pleading not guilty. Shaik's trial was the subject of intense media attention due to the involvement of several high-profile members of the South African government. Though Shaik claimed that his financial dealings were legitimate, on May 30, 2005 the Durban High Court handed down its final judgement. He was pronounced guilty of corruption for paying Zuma Rand 1.2 million (US$185,000) to further their relationship and for soliciting a bribe from the French arms company Thomson-CSF. Judge Squires sentenced Shaik to two terms of 15 years in prison for corruption, and one term of 3 years for fraud, to be served concurrently.

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_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:

1679: Le Griffon, a brigantine by René-Robert de LaSalle, became the first sailing ship to navigate the Great Lakes. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ren%C3%A9-Robert_Cavelier%2C_Sieur_de_La_Salle)

1782: The Badge of Military Merit (pictured), the original Purple Heart, was established as a military decoration in the Continental Army. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purple_Heart)

1947: An expedition led by Thor Heyerdahl crossed the Pacific Ocean in 101 days on his raft, Kon-Tiki. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thor_Heyerdahl)

1965: Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman of the Federation of Malaysia demanded that Singapore withdraw from the federation, choosing to "sever ties with a State Government that showed no measure of loyalty to its Central Government." (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tunku_Abdul_Rahman)

1998: The bombing of U.S. embassies in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania and Nairobi, Kenya killed 224 people and injured over 4,500. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1998_U.S._embassy_bombings)

_____________________ Wikiquote of the day:

"We help the internet not suck." -- Jimmy Wales (http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Jimmy_Wales)