Corruption Uncovered: Trent's shocking testimony links Ramaphosa

ATTORNEY and certified fraud examiner Sarah-Jane Trent revealed unsettling connections involving high-ranking government officials and key institutions, echoing the narrative of alleged honey traps aimed at capturing influential figures.

This played out when Trent gave her testimony before the committee probing allegations made by KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi.

This was after Trent’s former boss, fraud examiner Paul O’Sullivan concluded his evidence following his walkout a week before.

While previous testimonies had focused on former Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) head Robert McBride, Trent’s evidence shed more light on his relationship with President Cyril Ramaphosa’s advisor Bejani Chauke.

The Ad Hoc Committee had heard that Trent and O’Sullivan captured IPID and illegally accessed personal information in executing their work when they plotted the downfall of former acting national commissioner Khomotso Phahlane.

ANC MP Xola Nqola had stated that among the strategies employed was that Trent dated McBride, and the other must provide financial resources as a way of capturing to execute the programme of collapse of Phahlane.

O'Sullivan confirmed that he contributed to McBride's legal fees during his suspension challenge and later lodged a case against Phahlane upon reinstatement to assist IPID in the investigation.

In response to questions from ANC MP Khusela Diko-Sangoni, Trent stated that she met Chauke at O’Sullivan's non-profit organisation, Forensic for Justice, when her former boss reached out to someone who could communicate with Ramaphosa.

“He wanted to speak to Andile Ramaphosa to see if he would want to clear his name or give his version of events because we were opening a case and there were allegations against him. That is how I met Dr Chauke,” she said.

This happened when it emerged that Ramaphosa’s son, Andile, was paid R2 million by controversial corruption implicated Bosasa company.

Asked by MK Party MP Sibonelo Nomvalo, Trent reiterated that they had been planning to open a criminal case that had to do with Bosasa.

“In one of affidavits, there was an allegation against Andile Ramaphosa and Paul wanted to try to get in touch with Andile Ramaphosa to get his side version.

“Bejani came to meet us and Andile Ramaphosa came. We met him. That is how I met him,” she said about her first encounter with Chauke.

She told the MPs that she did not know whether Andile and Chauke were friends.

It turned out that the criminal case related to former ANC MP Vincent Smith, who was imprisoned earlier this week.

However, the MPs were intrigued that Trent and O’Sullivan approached Andile when he was not a complainant.

“The dots are unconnected,” said Nomvalo.

MK Party MP Vusi Shongwe observed that Trent did not investigate Andile, but wanted to clear his name.

 “You went to clear his name immediately. Are you getting anything from Ramaphosa?” asked Shongwe.

Her response was: “No”.

EFF MP Leigh-Ann Mathys noted that her employment as the CEO of Chauke’s foundation took place after he opened a criminal case against Smith.

Mathys reasoned that O’Sullivan looked around to see who might be involved in corruption and then digs up some dirt to “extort” money.

“Andile’s name came up. That is how you contacted Andile Ramaphosa. Why would you randomly go and say I am going to open a case against Vincent Smith,” she said.

“The target is high-profile people and you go and look who is involved in this, and say let's go and see because soon thereafter, you get a job as CEO,” she said.

Trent denied that her employment at the foundation was soon after she left O’Sulivan’s company in 2022 after opening the case against Smith.

“There was nothing dodgy there,” she said.

Regarding her relationship with Chauke, Trent said: “We had tea at some point.”

“I would not say friends but I worked for his foundation,” she said.

Trent also told the MPs that she had kept in touch with Chauke.

“We messaged, and I said oh yes, I resigned from Paul O’Sullivan. A couple of months later, he sent a message to say listen I am looking for someone to run my foundation.”

During her testimony, Trent maintained that O’Sullivan and Chauke were not friends or anything like that.

This was against the backdrop of O’Sullivan claiming that he was approached by Ramaphosa’s then advisor Chauke to vet the people for appointment to the police national commissioner position, now occupied by Fannie Masemola.

He claimed that he was given eight names to conduct lifestyle audits on.

Among the names, O’Sullivan stated, was Masemola and Mkhwanazi, along with four others that were not suitable for the appointment because of their lifestyle.

In February, Chauke dismissed O’Sullivan’s claim and maintained that he never solicited his involvement.

He stated that he would receive a barrage of suggestion when Ramaphosa was searching for suitable candidates for upcoming appointments.

According to Chauke, he was approached by lobbyists to influence Ramaphosa’s decision and that he had not allowed undue influence to sway the outcome.

He confirmed that O'Sullivan was one of the people who approached him.

“Only two candidates were, according to him, fit for the position. One of those he proposed was not even on the shortlist,” said Chauke, emphasising “I did not solicit Mr O’Sullivan’s involvement.”

When Trent was asked about the vetting of the candidates for the commissioner’s position, Trent said she did not know how it came about.

“I don’t think he asked Paul to vet the potential commissioner of police; however, I don’t have correspondence,” she said.

Trent added that she did not ask why O’Sullivan claimed he was asked to vet the commissioner.

“I don’t know why he said that,” she said when responding to Mathys.

“I would say that things do get exaggerated a lot. Certainly, I just sometimes don’t understand why he would say what he says. It is just, there is no reason. I don’t know. It makes everything very difficult. You don’t know what you look at or investigating.”

mayibongwe.maqhina@inl.co.za