Sundaytimes, Online
Thursday, November 09, 2006
Convicted fraudster Schabir Shaik handed himself over at the Durban High Court around 8.30am today.
The Durban businessman, also convicted of corruption, will start serving a 15-year jail term.
Earlier this morning, prison staff looked on curiously at television, radio and other media crew gathered outside the main gate.
All entering the prison pass a welcoming sign which describes the prison as "a place of new beginnings".
On Tuesday, the Shaik family declared what was described as a "media shut-down", refusing to reveal whether Schabir intended taking his case to the Constitutional Court.
Shaik's appeal against his corruption and fraud convictions was denied by a full Bench of the Bloemfontein Supreme Court of Appeal on Monday.
His sentence was also upheld.
The Justice Department served Shaik with a surrender order on Tuesday morning, instructing him to hand himself over to prison authorities within 48-hours.
Correctional Services spokesman Luphumzo Kebeni said Shaik's status in prison would be determined by a "a computerised point-scoring system".
Attempts to reach Shaik by cellphone early today only met with the standard recorded message: "The subscriber you have dialled is not available at present. Please try again later."
Sapa