From what he saw, he doubted very much if deputy president Jacob Zuma could, in 2001, pay back a loan to Durban businessman Schabir Shaik, said a witness from Absa.

Ian McLeod, credit manager of Absa Private Bank, was testifying in Shaik's trial on charges of corruption and fraud. McLeod was asked about the short time Shaik and Zuma had been clients of the private bank during 2001.

He told the court he was asked to assess their applications. He found both posed an unacceptable risk because of their credit ratings.

"I was told that the two accounts must be considered and moved together as they were to be treated as one client," he said. He was under the impression that this was done because Shaik was managing Zuma's finances.

McLeod made it clear he could not recommend that the two be accepted as private bank clients, but he was overruled. He said the way he understood it, Zuma was taken on as a client because of his political influence and Shaik was part of the deal.

"I was not going to accept liability for future losses," he said. He said Zuma's account was later referred back to the Absa business centre. He did not know what had happened to Shaik's account.

He said if Zuma had a revolving credit agreement with Shaik he should have told the bank about it, as it would otherwise put him in a "serious negative light".

He added that from what he knew about the conduct of Zuma's account, he doubted whether Zuma would have been able to repay Shaik. The revolving credit was for a maximum amount of R2 million.

The state says it believed the evidence about Shaik and Zuma's efforts to be accepted at Absa Private Bank was a sign that Zuma was "on retainer", which allowed Shaik to use his name.

McLeod was the second last witness this week. Other witnesses included auditing clerk Anthony Gibb who is testifying about an alleged irregular write-off that took place in the books of Shaik's Nkobi group of companies.

Testimony this week was given mainly by witnesses from the financial side of the trial. On Monday forensic auditor Johan van der Walt concluded his marathon evidence after 16 days in the witness box. He was followed by the former accountant of Nkobi Holdings, Celia Bester. She said the money written off in Nkobi's books was cash bribes paid to ministers.

Bester's evidence was followed by the testimony of handwriting expert Marius Rheder who told the court he was 100% sure that a fax setting out the conditions of an alleged bribe to Zuma was written by Thomson director Alain Thetard.

Rheder also said a note stating "conflicts with intention" was written next to an anti-bribery clause in a service provider agreement concluded between one of Shaik's companies and Thomson, was most probably by Shaik.

The next three witnesses John Dwyer, Nelia van Coller and Brenda Madgwick were from Absa Bank. They gave evidence about Shaik and Zuma's efforts to become clients of Absa Private Bank.

With acknowledgements to Estelle Ellis and the Saturday Argus.