Everything done in furtherance of the major conspiracy to bribe Deputy President Jacob Zuma could be admissible as evidence against his financial adviser Schabir Shaik, wheth-er Shaik knew about it or not.

This argument, leader of the prosecution Billy Downer SC told the Durban High Court this morning, is supported by legal precedent.

Downer was continuing his argument about the admissibility of an encrypted fax, which the state claims contains details of an alleged bribe agreement between Shaik, Zuma and Alain Thetard, former South African manager of Thomsons arms company.

While the state was leading the evidence of Thetard's former secretary, Sue Delique, who handed them the fax, Shaik's counsel, Francois van Zyl SC, said his client knew nothing about the fax.

Delique also agreed that she never faxed the document to Shaik.

Argument continues.

With acknowledgements to Estelle Ellis and the Daily News.