'I am a layman and I don't see that giving somebody money is bribery'
Judge Meyer Joffe warned Selebi's advocate, Jaap Cilliers SC, and state prosecutor Gerrie Nel to "keep things calm".
Cilliers' cross-examination of state witness and convicted druglord Glenn Agliotti drew to a close, before Nel began his re-examination, focusing on Agliotti's definition of bribery.
Agliotti told Cilliers: "I am a layman and I don't see that giving somebody money is bribery."
Selebi has been charged with corruption and defeating the ends of justice in connection with at least R1.2-million he allegedly received from Agliotti and others in return for favours. He has pleaded not guilty.
Nel tried yesterday to prove that Agliotti and the former police chief did enjoy a tainted relationship.
But Agliotti said: "My understanding [of bribery] is that if I give you money I expect something in return, like a tender or something ... that is how I would describe bribery."
Agliotti maintains he did not receive anything in return - apart from a penknife - and therefore did not bribe Selebi.
Agliotti previously told the court, however, that Selebi had allowed him access to various reports - including one related to an investigation into the drug lord's affairs.
Nel yesterday questioned details of Agliotti's friendship with Selebi.
Agliotti said they sometimes went shopping together and went out for coffee.
"He came to two of my birthdays, but we dined at a restaurant." Agliotti said they had never been to one another's homes.
Tensions between the state and the defence appeared to have heightened since the dismissal of the Selebi application last week to have Judge Joffe recuse himself.
Selebi's legal team had claimed the judge was biased towards the state.
The arguing started after the state's re-examination of Agliotti, which began yesterday afternoon, was halted briefly.
This was because a dispute arose over whether the state had handed over annexures from an affidavit Agliotti wrote in prison on December 11 2006.
The defence denied it had a copy of "annexure D".
Nel was adamant the defence had been given all the relevant documents.
The court adjourned for the two sides to sort out the issue, but after the break it was clear the matter had not been resolved.
Heated exchanges ensued in which the two lawyers made animated gestures towards each other.
The judge warned them that he did not want to get involved in "an unseemly fight".
Earlier yesterday, Selebi's defence had asked the court for an application to put on record complaints it had against the state.
Cilliers said they had received certain statements from the prosecution very late.
The application was brought, the defence said, because the state's conduct had been irregular throughout the trial.
Judge Joffe instructed Cilliers to raise concerns when they occurred.
Re-examination of Agliotti will continue today.
Joffe asked both the state and the defence to ensure that exhibits handed in as evidence to the court be numbered clearly in order to avoid bungles and delays in the trial.
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