Sarah-Jane Trent exposes troubling connections to Ramaphosa's circle

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.

- MAYIBONGWE MAQHINA

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 allegedly 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 related to 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 nonprofit organisation, Forensics 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.