Durban – An employee of the company that invented the scanner that reads barcodes was the first foreign witness in the Shabir Shaik fraud and corruption trial when he testified on Wednesday.

John Dover, from the United Kingdom, said he met Shaik when he was based in South Africa for Symbol Technologies.

He said the company had been in negotiations with Prodiba, the group responsible for producing South Africa's credit card driver's licences.

The aim of negotiations was to get Symbol Technologies to provide the hand-held scanner, which would enable officers to read licence cards on the roadside.

Shaik's Nkobi Holdings has a stake in Prodiba.

He said at the time of the negotiations he was aware that Shaik was an adviser to Deputy President Jacob Zuma.

Despite ongoing negotiations Prodiba and Symbol Technologies never signed a contract.

Dover's testimony is linked to the fraud charge against Shaik.

Shaik's is accused of soliciting a R500,000 per annum bribe for Deputy President Jacob Zuma in exchange for protection during investigations into arms deal irregularities. He has pleaded not guilty.

The Durban High Court has adjourned until 2pm to give defence advocate Francois van Zyl time to read through new documentation, which was presented by the State

With acknowledgements to Sapa and the Citizen.