Suspended arms acquisitions chief Shamin "Chippy" Shaik will know his fate this week when a commission of inquiry into misconduct charges against him releases its findings.

Shaik was suspended by Defence Minister Mosiuoa Lekota for allegedly passing inside information regarding the controversial arms procurement deal to people outside government without authorisation.

However, the defence ministry has steadfastly refused to disclose the nature of the charges against Shaik.

The chairman of the inquiry, Zam Titus, said yesterday that the committee completed the inquiry on Saturday.

"We are done with the process of the inquiry. I am still applying my mind before making a ruling on the matter," he said.

Titus, who is also the directorgeneral of the provincial and local government department, said that he would make his decision this week and forward a report to Lekota.

Sources close to Shaik said that, although he was happy with the way the investigation was conducted, he was not happy with the charges against him.

Shaik was a central figure in putting together the arms procurement deal, and his suspension followed the release of a joint report into the deal, which has been mired in controversy from the time it was finalised.

The report said Shaik failed to "properly recuse himself" from meetings on contracts in which his brother Shabir Shaik had a business interest.

Shabir was arrested on a charge of theft under the Protection of Information Act for allegedly being found in possession of documents containing classified government information.

Shaik allegedly took out this classified government information between October 1 and November 1 last year.

"Mr Shaik will not be allowed to enter any military installation, office or the headquarters of the department of defence," Lekota told reporters in Pretoria at the time of his suspension.

Shaik was also barred from having contact with officials dealing with arms procurement.

He was suspended with full pay pending the outcome of the investigation.

A disciplinary hearing at which charges would be put to Shaik and where he would be able to defend his conduct, as required by the Labour Relations Act, would be held only once the investigation had been finalised, Lekota's spokesman, Sam Mkhwanazi, said.

In terms of labour law practice, employees can only be suspended in the most serious of cases, and with full benefits.

Employers otherwise run the risk of being accused of unfair suspension.