Michael Mashuga, a former prosecutor for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), testified before parliament’s ad hoc committee on Wednesday, alleging that private investigator Paul O’Sullivan and his assistant, Sarah-Jane Trent, were deeply embedded in investigations conducted by the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid).
Mashuga appeared before the committee investigating allegations of corruption and unlawful interference in the criminal justice system.
His evidence supports claims that O’Sullivan effectively controlled Ipid during the tenure of former director Robert McBride — an accusation O’Sullivan has dismissed as “blatant lies” and a “false narrative”.
The controversy stems from claims made by former acting police commissioner Khomotso Phahlane, who alleged that O’Sullivan and Trent impersonated Ipid investigators to run a “shadow structure” aimed at targeting him.
Testifying before the committee, Mashuga corroborated Phahlane’s account.
Mashuga told the committee that at a pivotal time Ipid’s independence was compromised. He alleged O’Sullivan and Trent simultaneously acted as investigators in a matter he was assigned to prosecute.
“Ipid investigations at that stage were not independent because they were infiltrated and led by O’Sullivan and Trent,” Mashuga said.
“They were biased and had a clear motive to falsely implicate Phahlane.”
Phahlane was originally investigated for systemic corruption, money laundering and procurement irregularities, which eventually led to his dismissal in 2020.
While a specialised “Phahlane Task Team” was established to handle the case, Mashuga argued that the team’s integrity was undermined by outside influence.
“By permitting O’Sullivan and Trent to lead the investigation into the Phahlane matter, Ipid acted contrary to the independence and impartiality the Ipid Act seeks to protect.”
He further alleged that members of the task team exchanged favours with the private investigators, driven by a shared interest in seeing Phahlane removed from office.
Mashuga highlighted a pattern of intimidation, claiming O’Sullivan threatened Phahlane with imprisonment and the loss of his home through a forced auction. He also confirmed allegations regarding the impersonation of officials.
“There was a contravention of Section 35 of the Ipid Act,” Mashuga testified. “They presented themselves as Ipid investigators and obtained witness statements. The official Ipid investigators did not stop them; they allowed the contravention to continue.”
Mashuga also pointed to a specific incident involving Phahlane’s house plans as evidence of a personal vendetta rather than a legal inquiry.
“It was O’Sullivan who took pictures of the house plans with his phone. This was a private investigation using Ipid as a cover. They continued taunting Phahlane via email, telling him exactly what they were going to do to him because he refused to join their ‘cabal’.”
The committee heard that when Trent was arrested in 2017 for impersonating an Ipid official, her phone was seized and the data downloaded. Mashuga described the findings as “shocking”, particularly given O’Sullivan and McBride’s public personas as “corruption fighters”.
According to Mashuga, the downloaded data revealed:
- Detailed discussions regarding the logistics of Phahlane’s arrest.
- Inquiries by Trent to investigator Mandla Mahlangu regarding the “success” of an operation at Phahlane’s residence.
- Evidence that investigators searched Phahlane’s entire home — far exceeding the scope of their warrant, which was reportedly limited to a sound system.
Mashuga said these actions demonstrated a total disregard for privacy and a willingness to go to extreme lengths to secure a conviction.
Testifying before the committee, O’Sullivan previously denied allegations that he infiltrated Ipid or any other state organs.
“I did not infiltrate Ipid or any organs of state,” O’Sullivan said. “I hereby unequivocally deny these false, defamatory, and criminally malicious allegations. The truth is a lot easier to understand and far more rational.”
However, Mashuga said there is proof from the downloaded messages on Trent’s phone that they were involved in Ipid matters until at least January 7, 2017.
“O’Sullivan and Trent received information from Ipid, including cellphone records, bank statements, ID numbers of private citizens, internal memoranda, and other information.”
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