Masemola, Khumalo and Mkhwanazi belong in prison: O’Sullivan

Controversial forensic investigator, Paul O’Sullivan, says KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola, and Crime Intelligence Head Dumisani Khumalo belong in prison.

O’Sullivan has accused the trio of running a slush fund within the South African Police Service (SAPS).

He is appearing before Parliament’s Ad Hoc Committee today, which is probing allegations of corruption and political interference within the country’s criminal justice system.

O’Sullivan himself faces allegations of interfering with the work of the police watchdog Independent Police Investigative Directorate, and of having vested interests in several of the country’s ports of entry — claims he denies.

Speaking to journalists outside Parliament, O’Sullivan said rogue elements within the police service have existed for decades.

“If I go back to Jackie Selebi, I mean, I spent the last 25 years, I counted it, actually, the night before last. 15 generals and 18 brigadiers are facing criminal charges because of the investigations I’ve done,” he said.

“And now we have a couple of rogue generals, like Khumalo, Mkhwanazi and Masemola. The three of them, the gang of three, they all belong in prison, and  hopefully, after I’ve given my evidence, they will start seeing that.”

O’ Sullivan said the three are part of the problem rather than the solution.

“We have a bunch of rogue cops led by the commissioner. This will be the third commissioner of police that I focused on it, which is Masemola,” he said.

He also linked Khumalo’s tenure as head of Crime Intelligence in KwaZulu-Natal to the 2021 unrest.

“You have to remember that Khumalo was head of crime intelligence in KZN from 2018 until 2022,” he said. “And what happened in 2021 was 300 people were murdered in the riots and 100 billion rands worth of damage done to the economy of this country, while that man was head of crime intelligence in KZN.”

O’Sullivan further alleged that Khumalo controls a slush fund worth about R600 million a year.

“And between him, Masemola, and Mkhwanazi, they’ve been running riot with that slush fund. And it’s time the taxpayers’ money is being splashed out on luxury cars and luxury lifestyles for these rogue cops is brought to an end,” he said.

Earlier, tensions flared in Parliament after O’Sullivan told MPs that while he had taken an oath to tell the truth, he was not obliged to answer every question if doing so could place his family at risk.

The remarks drew a sharp response from Members of Parliament, who expressed dissatisfaction and called on O’Sullivan to amend or clarify his statement.

MPs pushed for fuller cooperation, including answers about his time in South Africa before and during 1990. O’Sullivan, however, maintained that security concerns and the safety of his family limit how far he is willing to go in his testimony.

He also denied allegations that he acted as a foreign agent in South Africa.

When questioned about his citizenship, O’Sullivan told the committee that he holds Irish, British and South African citizenship.

O’Sullivan further responded to questions about the source of funding for his non-profit organisation, Forensics for Justice.