The state placed the final puzzle pieces of its fraud and corruption case against Schabir Shaik yesterday, when it presented a series of letters demonstrating how he solicited business when financial adviser to Deputy President Jacob Zuma.

Ushering in his last witness, state prosecutor Billy Downer led chief Scorpions investigator Johan du Plooy through a collection of correspondence that highlighted how Shaik name-dropped across Nigeria, the US and Kuwait for business contracts.

Shaik has pleaded not guilty to two counts of corruption and one of fraud. Admitting correspondence seized during the raid on Shaik's company, Nkobi Holdings, Du Plooy revealed how Shaik had attempted to secure public-private partnerships and joint ventures in a host of deals.

The recurrent theme was the close political and business links Shaik had with Zuma, with correspondence written on Nkobi letterheads introducing him as "the special economic adviser to the deputy president".

Earlier in the day , Scorpions investigator Isak du Plooy testified that former Renong director David Wilson had withdrawn as a state witness on the advice of his former employer.

In the mid-1990s the Malaysian-based Renong group was involved in establishing the Point Waterfront development at Durban harbour. Renong had corresponded with Shaik on the development's black economic empowerment element.

Isak du Plooy had travelled to Kuala Lumpur to secure an affidavit from Wilson and later received more documentation and a second affidavit.

But a few weeks into the trial last year, Wilson told the National Prosecuting Authority: "It is not appropriate for me to give evidence in this trial. I have lived in Malaysia for more than 20 years and do not want to cause any embarrassment to the government. "

Yesterday, Judge Hillary Squires ruled that the affidavits' (sic - affidavit's) contents would remain secret.

With acknowledgement to Business Day and Nicola Jenvey.