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Phahlane 'won’t dignify O’Sullivan' by discussing arrest

07 September 2016. LISTEN UP: Acting police commissioner Lieutenant-General Khomotso Phahlane has introduced a back-to-basics strategy for everything from how police relate to the public to handling crime scenes professionally. Pic: Simphiwe Nkwali. © Sunday Times.
07 September 2016. LISTEN UP: Acting police commissioner Lieutenant-General Khomotso Phahlane has introduced a back-to-basics strategy for everything from how police relate to the public to handling crime scenes professionally. Pic: Simphiwe Nkwali. © Sunday Times.

Acting police commissioner Khomotso Phahlane’s refused to discuss the details of the arrest of private investigator Paul O’Sullivan.

O’Sullivan has been probing Phahlane‚ along with the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID)‚ and Phahlane has previously questioned his involvement in the case.

Phahlane appeared on eNCA’s The Justice Factor on Monday night‚ and had prepared to discussed police successes.

However he was hit with question after question on O’Sullivan’s arrest.

Phahlane refused to answer host Justice Malala‚ saying O’Sullivan’s arrest was an “operational matter” which he couldn’t discuss publicly.

“I won’t dignify people like Paul O’Sullivan by granting them airtime to discuss their issues‚” he said.

Phahlane later told Malala that he would not help “in making Paul O’Sullivan a hero.”

O’Sullivan was arrested on Monday afternoon outside the offices of his lawyer Willie Spies‚ of Afriforum. Late on Monday night‚ Spies had gone to the high court in Pretoria to demand O’Sullivan’s release.

Spies told TMG Digital, O’Sullivan was arrested for pretending to be an IPID investigator.

The directorate in probing allegations of corruption and are conducting a lifestyle audit on Phahlane.

However Phahlane has questioned O’Sullivan’s role in the case‚ saying the civilian investigator is running the probe.

Last week the acting commissioner filed court papers at the high court in Pretoria‚ demanding O’Sullivan’s involvement in the investigation be declared unlawful.

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