O'Sullivan released on R10 000 bail

16 February 2017 - 15:30 By Graeme Hosken
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The man whose complaint sparked acting police commissioners case, Paul O'Sullivan.
The man whose complaint sparked acting police commissioners case, Paul O'Sullivan.
Image: Bafana Mahlangu

Private forensic investigator Paul O'Sullivan has been released on R10 000 bail.

O'Sullivan‚ who is caught in bitter feud between the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) and the national police commissioner‚ Lieutenant-General Khomotso Phahlane‚ was ordered to appear in the Pretoria Magistrate's Court earlier on Thursday.

He‚ along with his assistant Sarah-Jane Trent‚ have been charged with impersonating an Ipid officer in a corruption probe by the organisation into Phahlane.

O'Sullivan was arrested on Monday‚ but was ordered to be released after police defied a court order which stated that he had to be given 48-hours notice of any impending arrest which he may face.

  • Paul O'Sullivan summonsed to appear in courtPrivate forensic investigator‚ Paul O'Sullivan‚ has been summonsed to appear in the Pretoria Magistrate's Court today. It follows his foiled arrest by police earlier this week. 

Directorate head‚ Robert McBride‚ on Wednesday told the parliamentary portfolio committee on police‚ that he viewed O'Sullivan's arrest as interference in their investigation into Phahlane.

The national commissioner stands accused of receiving kickbacks for awarding chemical supply companies tenders while he was head of the police forensic science laboratories.

Phahlane took the Directorate to court last week in a bid to have O'Sullivan stopped from providing assistance to the organisation in its investigation of him [Phahlane].

  • McBride says O'Sullivan did not claim to be IPID investigator in Phahlane probeRobert McBride‚ head of the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid)‚ has told Parliament that the arrests of Paul O' Sullivan and his assistant were an attempt to disrupt their investigation into acting Police commissioner Khomotso Phahlane and an act of intimidation. 

O'Sullivan's bail conditions include that he may not interfere with any State witness‚ he may not go near Phahlane's luxury home in Sable Hills housing estate north of Pretoria‚ he must notify the investigating officers if he plans to leave South Africa and may not reveal to anyone who the State witnesses are.

O'Sullivan‚ speaking to The Times by telephone‚ said the court case was a continuation of abuse of power "by those trying to keep corrupt people in their chairs".

He is to appear again in court on May 19.

- TMG Digital/The Times

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