MPs question O’Sullivan’s reasons for relocating to SA, citizenship acquisition

Members of Parliament (MPs) have raised questions about forensic analyst Paul O’Sullivan’s reasons for relocating to South Africa and how he acquired his citizenship.

Members of the ad hoc committee probing police corruption grilled him on Tuesday about his professional and educational background during the first day of testimony.

O’Sullivan will face more questions from political parties on Thursday before he concludes his evidence later.

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O’Sullivan told the ad hoc committee that he got his South African permanent residency in 1989, before joining the police in Johannesburg as a reservist a year later.

He later obtained his citizenship in 1995.

O'Sullivan said this was because he loved the country and what it had to offer.

“I had some good friends here, and I liked the weather,r and there were business opportunities.”

But committee member Julius Malema was not convinced by the explanations and asked that O’Sullivan provide the committee with his motivation.

“We must be given the motivation why he was given the citizenship and must check if learning Afrikaans was the only criterion that was followed.”

Evidence leader Norman Arendse added that O’Sullivan provided other reasons previously, where he said he wanted to integrate with South Africa’s white Christian community, a claim O'Sullivan has denied.