SECURITY LOCKDOWN: Paul O’Sullivan To Face MPs In Person At Parliament Committee

Forensic investigator Paul O’Sullivan is set to appear in person before Parliament’s ad hoc committee after weeks of tension surrounding his testimony and concerns over his personal safety.

O’Sullivan confirmed that he will give his testimony in person before Parliament’s ad hoc committee on Tuesday, with full security arrangements in place.

The committee is investigating allegations of criminality, political interference and corruption within South Africa’s justice system.

Pressure Mounts After Paul O’Sullivan Missed Appearance   

O’Sullivan was expected to testify before the committee last week but declined to do so, citing serious security concerns.

Parliament’s ad hoc committee subsequently intensified its calls for him to appear physically rather than virtually. The ANC in Parliament said confirmation of O’Sullivan’s in-person appearance supports the Speaker’s guidance, which was adopted by the committee.

“It reaffirms the principle that reasoned engagement, respect for due process, and constitutionalism must always prevail over the politics of theatrics and spectacle.

“The ANC Study Group has consistently maintained that both Mr O’Sullivan and Mr [Brown] Mogotsi should appear before the Committee in person rather than virtually, in the interests of accountability, transparency, and the integrity of parliamentary oversight.

“It is therefore deeply regrettable that certain political parties deliberately distorted this due process, choosing instead to maliciously politicise the work of the Committee in an attempt to discredit the ANC and falsely portray it as shielding criminality,” the ANC said.

‘I’m Not Avoiding Parliament,’ Says O’Sullivan

Last month, O’Sullivan insisted he was not attempting to evade Parliament and had responded promptly to the initial invitation to testify.

“When I got the email on 27 November last year, inviting me to go to Parliament, I replied the next morning, and I said ‘it will be a great pleasure to testify because there are things that need to be out there,’” O’Sullivan told Crime Watch on eNCA.

At the time, however, he made it clear that he would not appear in person, even if he were in South Africa, due to fears for his safety.

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“Why are they so keen to have me there in person? It leads me to believe they’re mixed in with these criminals, and they’re conspiring with them to get me into a particular position where they can have me shot, and then by the way, I’ll probably be shot before I give evidence. So, I’m quite happy to do it virtually.

“… their own rules provide for it being done virtually. So, those crooks in Parliament wanted me to get there in person and in Irish they say ‘pop my horn’, I’m not going to translate that, but I’m not going there,” O’Sullivan said.