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.
Read the rest of this article:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schabir_Shaik_trial
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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)
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Wikiquote of the day:
"We help the internet not suck." -- Jimmy Wales
(
http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Jimmy_Wales)