The star Online
Wednesday, November 29, 2006
Paul O'Sullivan, Jackie Selebi's chief tormentor, has claimed in court that the national police commissioner cost him his job.
O'Sullivan, who has previously accused Selebi of being the head of a criminal "cop mafia", claimed in the Germiston Magistrate's Court yesterday that Selebi conspired with Airports Company of South Africa (Acsa) chief executive Monhla Hlahla to have him fired.
A former head of security at the Johannesburg International Airport (now the OR Tambo Airport), O'Sullivan claimed in his testimony that Selebi and Hlahla conspired to make false allegations against him, laid false criminal charges against him and attacked his personal character, leading to his dismissal and ruining his life.
O'Sullivan was giving evidence in a defamation case against Acsa launched by former police superintendent Paul Mills.
Mills, head of border police at the airport until 2001 before his sudden transfer, and his wife Nicole are suing Acsa for R100 000 each.
Mills was transferred from the airport after Acsa manager André Olivier wrote a report to Selebi, in which he accused Mills and over a dozen other officers of "escorting deportees outside the borders of South Africa" and receiving kickbacks of $150 (about R1 000) per day.
Nicole Mills is suing Acsa because Olivier's report claimed she was having a (lesbian) relationship with her husband's secretary.
O'Sullivan, who authored a docket accusing Selebi of being entangled in the criminal underworld, was subpoenaed to strengthen Mills' case and testify that he had suffered a similar "smear campaign" before being fired.
"Olivier, the national commissioner of police and Acsa chief executive officer Monhla Hlahla conspired together in a malicious campaign of defamation against me. This led to false allegations, false criminal charges and an attack on my personal character," O'Sullivan testified.
O'Sullivan also said the fact that the police used a civilian (Olivier) to conduct investigations and submit reports was "not healthy" and "interfered with the police's domestic affairs".
O'Sullivan began by saying that "strange things started happening" after he cancelled a R130-million security contract at the airport. This is the contract, he has alleged, that Selebi tried to prevent him from cancelling.
O'Sullivan said he immediately began his own investigation, during which he says he discovered what he claims was a corrupt relationship between Selebi and Acsa.
"I was interviewed by my CEO (Hlahla) and she instructed me to stop my investigations. There had been several attempts on my life and I was unlawfully suspended."
In an affidavit from Olivier, read out in court, he said the damaging report (accusing Mills and other police officers of corruption) was compiled at Selebi's request.
Mills' counsel, Barry Whitter, argued yesterday that "Olivier gave the national commissioner a pack of lies".
Acsa's defence team had tried to prevent O'Sullivan from testifying, saying he had been gagged by agreement during his own separate case against the company and questioning the relevance of his testimony.
The case has been postponed to next year.