Forensic investigator Paul O’Sullivan’s assistant has been released from custody, following a brief appearance in the High Court in Pretoria on Sunday night.

Attorney Sarah Jane Trent was arrested on Friday afternoon. Her bail was expected to be set on Monday.

In her affidavit, Trent claims she was taken by police and driven around in the back of a police van for hours before being taken to Kameeldrift police station.

She claimed that the van was guarded by heavily armed men.

“The vehicle was parked at a petrol station in Marlboro Johannesburg, guarded by at least seven heavily armed policeman carrying R5 semi-automatic rifles for more than an hour and then drove off to Pretoria.”

Trent said her cellphone was confiscated and she was not allowed to consult her legal representation.

Trent was charged for allegedly pretending to be an IPID official in its investigation into acting police commissioner Khomotso Phahlane.

In her court application, Trent denied the charges saying that this was a retaliation attempt by senior police officials for her involvement in the, “formulation of a complaint against Phahlane”.

“This is an absurd claim since it speaks that as an employee of the complainant and an attorney, she would be giving assistance to the investigating officer of IPID upon request,” Trent’s court application states.

Her legal representation sought an urgent application at the North Gauteng High Court for her release.

Prosecutor Molatlhwa Mashuga said conditions of her release stipulated that she could not contact, interfere or intimidate any witnesses in IPID’s investigation into Phahlane.

On Friday, O’Sullivan told News24 that police raided his home in Johannesburg.

He said the doorbell rang at his house in Sandton at 16:15. He said when he opened it, there was a female metro police officer who asked to be let in.

O’Sullivan said the woman said she needed information on his vehicle, which was apparently involved in a hit and run two weeks ago. He said he told her he sold it about a year ago.

O’Sullivan said he had a bad feeling about the situation, got into his car and drove away. He said as he left, he saw a convoy of unmarked vehicles coming toward his house.

He said the cars tried to block him off but he drove away.

Phahlane is seeking to interdict O’Sullivan from being involved in IPID investigations against him, News24 reported.

On Monday the papers were served on the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID), O’Sullivan, Sarah Trent, and Magistrate JR Tsatsi.

Phahlane says O’Sullivan has been targeting him and has the ear of IPID head Robert McBride.

Phahlane denies any wrongdoing.

[Source: News24]