Phahlane: I was targeted because I refused to hand SAPS to O’Sullivan and McBride - IOL

Criminal charges against former acting national police commissioner Kgomotso Phahlane have been withdrawn.

Former acting national police commissioner Khomotso Phahlane said he was targeted and forced out of the South African Police Service (SAPS) because he refused to hand control of the force to private investigator Paul O’Sullivan and Robert McBride.

Speaking to the SABC on Monday evening, Phahlane said the corruption charges brought against him were fabricated to remove him from the police service.

“I had to be removed from the SAPS, I had to be removed as an accounting officer. I had refused to hand over the SAPS to Paul O’Sullivan and Robert McBribe,” Phahlane said.

“Because I did not do that, they had to find ways of getting me out of the system. All these charges were concocted.”

His claims come as the Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC) provisionally withdrew a corruption case involving Phahlane and his co-accused over a R191 million SAPS emergency-warning equipment contract.

IDAC said Acting Investigating Director Advocate Ntuthuzelo Vanara had decided to provisionally withdraw the matter after considering the case, while intending to examine certain aspects before it is re-enrolled.

The case concerns a 2016 contract awarded to Instrumentation for Traffic Law Enforcement (Pty) Ltd. About R65 million was paid, while investigators stopped a further payment of R22 million.

Phahlane’s allegations have not been established as fact, and the provisional withdrawal does not amount to a finding that the charges were fabricated.

O’Sullivan and McBride have faced allegations of corruption, overreach and interference in law-enforcement institutions.

McBride is not currently facing active criminal charges, but his past actions and leadership have come under heavy institutional scrutiny. Early this year he was a key figure in high-profile parliamentary hearings regarding corruption and institutional capture.

O’Sullivan is also not facing active criminal convictions, but his operations, qualifications, and state ties are a major focus of ongoing parliamentary and intelligence investigations.Phahlane has also made it clear that he was not involved in the corruption scandal in the SAPS.