ACF considers charges against O’Sullivan over intimidation claims
· Citizen
The Activists and Citizens Forum (ACF) has launched a fierce campaign against private investigator Paul O’Sullivan after explosive testimony at the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry alleging he intimidated senior police officials.
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Dennis Bloem, national spokesperson of the ACF, a body of former struggle activists , said the organisation would not tolerate O’Sullivan’s conduct.
“The time has come for law enforcement agencies to act.
“We are considering laying criminal charges of intimidation against O’Sullivan after the testimony of senior Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (Idac) investigator Mantsha Raphesu.
“We will never allow anyone to go around threatening and intimidating innocent people,” Bloem said.
Raphesu testified in January last year that O’Sullivan sent a scathing e-mail to Brigadier Dineo Mokwele, suspended deputy police national commissioner Shadrack Sibiya and suspended police minister Senzo Mchunu.
In the e-mail, O’Sullivan allegedly demanded Mokwele resign, repay money from her “unlawful appointment”, and hand over documents and names of those involved.
He reportedly threatened to take “necessary action” if she refused.
The controversy stems from Mokwele’s appointment to a covert operations unit, despite her private-sector background as a BMW engineer.
Initial Idac probes suggested she lacked qualifications and managerial experience, but later investigations confirmed she held an industrial engineering degree, a mechatronics diploma, and 12 additional technical qualifications.
With the evidentiary basis collapsing, national director of public prosecutions Andy Mothibi provisionally withdrew fraud and corruption charges against Mokwele, Crime Intelligence head Lieutenant-General Dumisani Khumalo and others.
Bloem said this was not O’Sullivan’s first brush with intimidation claims.
He cited the case of Cedrick Nkabinde, Mchunu’s chief of staff, who told parliament last year O’Sullivan sent him harassing messages at a committee hearing.
“These allegations are extremely serious. We must not allow O’Sullivan to go scot-free. If we allow this, many law-abiding citizens will fall foul of this thuggish behaviour,” Bloem said.