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By Dylan Bettencourt
- EFF leader Julius Malema and MK party MP David Skosana warned O’Sullivan he could not leave Parliament without being released.
- The EFF later accused O’Sullivan of contempt of Parliament and called him a dangerous fugitive who could flee South Africa.
Paul O’Sullivan was giving evidence before the ad hoc committee looking into allegations of corruption, criminal infiltration and political interference in South Africa’s justice system.
As the 1pm end time approached, O’Sullivan told chairperson Soviet Lekganyane he had a flight to Johannesburg to catch.
“I have reached a point, chairman, where I have to go,” he said.
EFF leader Julius Malema stepped in immediately. “He is not going to leave until [the chairperson] releases him,” Malema said.
MK party MP David Skosana compared the walkout to that of former National Director of Public Prosecutions Shamila Batohi at the Nkabinde inquiry in December 2025. “You can’t leave here. We don’t care about your flight,” Skosana said.
O’Sullivan refused to back down. “I’m leaving on my own free will,” he said.
Chairperson Lekganyane called on Parliament’s legal team for advice. ANC MP Xola Nqola said the matter was serious.
After O’Sullivan left, the EFF accused him of running away “like a criminal with something to hide” and said his actions amounted to contempt of Parliament. The party called him “a dangerous fugitive” with an aircraft, multiple passports and the ability to flee South Africa.
Earlier, Skosana had questioned why O’Sullivan, who was born in Ireland and has a background in the British army and military intelligence, moved to South Africa during apartheid, suggesting he may be a spy.
O’Sullivan holds triple citizenship in South Africa, Ireland and the UK. He moved to South Africa in 1989, saying he believed the country was heading towards democracy.
When Skosana kept pushing the spy claim, O’Sullivan said: “He is trying to make his point and he is lying through his teeth.”
Skosana then called O’Sullivan “a conman”, “a thug” and “a thief”.
Pictured above: Forensic expert Paul O’Sullivan at Parliament.
Image source: @AdvoBarryRoux
