The Schabir Shaik fraud and corruption trial resumed in the Durban High Court on Monday without the hype that signalled the start of the case last October.

Only a handful of people had gathered in the public gallery, including Shaik's bodyguards, and only die-hard journalists took their seats in the court room.

Shaik only had one of his brothers and his so-called spin doctor Dominic Ntsele supporting him.

Judge Hillary Squires started the case by saying "anyone who feels a sense of déjà vu, you are not alone".

Forensic auditor Johan van der Walt, who spent 16 days in the witness box explaining the paper trail that linked Shaik to Deputy President Jacob Zuma, was expected back in the stand on Monday.

Prosecutor Billy Downer was explaining to the court that Van der Walt was recalled to the witness box to clarify some issues that arose in his previous testimony.

These include how the interest on the loan between Shaik and Zuma was calculated and from where the so-called encrypted fax recording attempts by Shaik to solicit a bribe for Zuma from French arms company Thomson CSF was faxed.

The state alleges that Shaik and Zuma had "a generally corrupt relationship" and that Shaik paid Zuma at least R1,2-million in bribes. This was in exchange for protection during investigations into arms-deal irregularities.

Van der Walt is expected to be followed by former Scorpions investigator Gerda Ferreira.

With acknowledgements to Sapa and the Mail & Guardian.