MK Party MP David Skosana says he will present proof that a R600,000 bank debt mentioned by forensic investigator Paul O’Sullivan was settled last year, and has called on him to apologise and retract the claim made.
Image: Picture Henk Kruger / Independent Newspapers
uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party MP David Skosana has told forensic investigator Paul O’Sullivan to retract remarks he made last week alleging that he is owning a bank over R600,000, saying he has proof the money was paid last year.
Skosana made the comments during an ad hoc committee meeting on Thursday morning.
The development comes after O’Sullivan apologised for leaving last week’s meeting while he was still being questioned.
Committee chairperson Soviet Lekganyane said on Wednesday night that O’Sullivan had sent a letter apologising for his actions.
Lekganyane told committee members the letter expressed regret for leaving the proceedings.
In the letter on Thursday morning, O’Sullivan apologised to the Speaker of the National Assembly Thoko Didiza and all Members of Parliament, including the chairperson and members of the ad hoc committee, for his conduct last week.
Last Thursday, O’Sullivan walked out of the ad hoc committee without the permission of Lekganyane.
Several MPs protested as Skosana followed him outside in what appeared to be an attempt to confront him.
As Skosana shouted that O’Sullivan was running away from the committee, O’Sullivan replied that Skosana should pay the money he allegedly owed to the bank.
“He is running away and the chairperson … No, no, this is unbecoming,” Skosana was heard saying.
As he entered his vehicle, O’Sullivan responded, “Here is the problem - you are no longer in Parliament. You are standing outside Parliament. And you are lying through your teeth. You should just go and pay the debt that you owe to the bank.”
However, Skosana said he wanted O’Sullivan to apologise, insisting the R642,000 debt - had already been settled.
“He made some allegations about me that I must pay my debt at the bank. I want to say here that at a later stage I will show him and you, chairperson, that I have proof that the money was paid last year,” Skosana said.
He added that the matter was “done and dusted” and related to an old default judgment.
“If you are running a business, you will know there is nothing sinister about having had a judgment, because it was a default judgment.”
He said the name of the business was Landiwe Security Projects.
“That judgment he is talking about is old - it is history - and I have proof here that the money was paid,” he said.
Skosana also accused O’Sullivan of repeating the allegation during media interviews and said he wanted him to apologise and retract the remarks.
Meanwhile, ANC MP Khusela Sangoni, a member of the committee, raised concerns about O’Sullivan’s alleged access to sensitive personal information, including people’s credit records.
Sangoni said former senior National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) advocate Michael Mashuga told Parliament on Wednesday that O’Sullivan may have contravened both the National Prosecuting Authority Act and the National Credit Act.
Paul O Sullivan uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party MP David Skosana has called on forensic investigator Paul O'Sullivan to retract allegations that he was running away from an outstanding bank debt, saying he has proof the R600,000 was paid last year.
Image: Ayanda Ndamane/ Independent Newspapers
She said Mashuga had argued that O’Sullivan was repeatedly obtaining personal credit and financial information about private citizens and questioned whether he had the authority to do so.
O’Sullivan rejected the allegation.
“Chairman, that’s not correct. If you look at the Act - and I don’t have it in front of me because I didn’t know the question would be coming - it makes it clear that the information can be used for fraud prevention and fraud investigation purposes,” he said.
“Fraud and corruption are pretty much the same thing. Quite often a person is charged with fraud and corruption, or just corruption, or just fraud. Those investigations are investigative tools.
“Every certified fraud examiner in the country who carries out fraud investigations, subject to a code of conduct, has access to those tools,” he added.
Meanwhile, EFF leader Julius Malema urged the committee not to deliberate on matters involving personal information, as Skosana had asked O’Sullivan to apologise.
Skosana presented O’Sullivan with proof that the debt had been settled and demanded that he retract the allegation and apologise.
The committee continues.
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