By Johnathan Paoli
Controversial forensic examiner Paul O’Sullivan has defended a highly aggressive email he sent to former acting national police commissioner Khomotso Phahlane, claiming that the tone was justified by the circumstances at the time, amid accusations of bullying witnesses, police officials and members of Parliament.
Appearing before the ad-hoc committee on Thursday morning, O’Sullivan defended the message, arguing that it reflected the seriousness of the corruption allegations and the threats he believed he faced at the time.
“Given the circumstances at the time, it was more than appropriate. I apologise for being rude and for taking the fight to them,” he said.
“But I realised that if I did not fight hard, I or my family could be dead,” O’Sullivan told the committee.
Pressed by MPs about the language in the email, O’Sullivan said he had received death threats linked to individuals connected to the investigation and insisted
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