The state on Friday began arguing the admissibility of what the prosecution calls "hotly contested documents" in the Schabir Shaik fraud and corruption trial in the Durban High Court.

"Its like an elephant giving birth to a mouse" said prosecutor Billy Downer SC, referring to the few documents deemed inadmissible by the defence.

He said it was "quite remarkable" that in a case where there were thousands of documents that so few had been contested by the defence.

Downer said an encrypted fax - much reported on by the country's media - had emerged as the "principal excluded document".

The others included a copy of an application for a service provider agreement and an entry in the diary of Thomson CSF boss Alain Thetard on March 11, 2000, referring to a meeting between Deputy President Jacob Zuma, Shaik and Thetard.

Over the next few days the prosecution will deal with each document and where it comes from.

The State alleges that Shaik solicited a R500 000 per annum bribe for Zuma from French arms company Thomson CSF in exchange for protection during investigations into irregularities in South Africa's multi-billion rand arms deal.

Downer said it was not disputed that meetings and correspondence took place. However, it was the "common purpose" that was disputed.

According to Shaik, the meetings and correspondence which involved Thomson CSF representatives and Zuma were to raise funds for the deputy president's Education Trust Fund.

With acknowledgement to Sapa and The Natal Witness.