Durban - State witness Professor John Lennon has flown in from Scotland and is expected to take the stand in the Schabir Shaik fraud and corruption trial on Thursday morning.

Earlier this month the state applied to the Durban High Court for permission to allow Lennon, who is based at the University of Glasgow, to give his testimony via videolink.

He was, at the time, said to be unable to come to South Africa until February or March next year.

Judge Hillary Squires turned down the application.

According to evidence before the court Lennon wanted to open an eco-tourism school in KwaZulu-Natal at the time when Deputy President Jacob Zuma was the province's MEC for Economic Affairs and Tourism.

Zuma allegedly asked Lennon to consider Shaik's Nkobi Holdings as a preferred black empowerment partner.

However, Shaik allegedly threatened to use his political influence against Lennon and quash his plans when he indicated his intention to go ahead without Nkobi.

The school was never opened. Lennon is the second international witness after John Dover from Symbol Technology.

Dover's testimony related to Shaik's involvement in the Prodiba contract with government to manufacture South Africa's credit card style drivers licences.

Shaik has pleaded not guilty to two charges of corruption and one of fraud.

With acknowledgements to Sapa and News24.