Andrew Carey
andrew@limerickpost.ie
A NATIVE of the Ivory Coast who was stopped at the boarding gate in Dublin Airport gate denies that he was trying to flee the jurisdiction before being charged with the alleged rape of his former girlfriend in Limerick.
The 26-year-old, who can not be named for legal reasons says that he was not leaving the country because he was aware gardai were looking to speak with him in connection with an alleged incident instead he was travelling to Morocco to buy robes and clothing for the upcoming Muslim Ramadan.
During a contested bail hearing at Limerick District Court, Judge O’Kelly heard the defendant say “I was not running away,” as he offered his explanation for attempting to board the flight.
Having being detained in the early hours of last Friday morning in the airport, security staff alerted Det Garda Ivan Muldoon and Det Gda Brendan Stokes. The pair travelled to Dublin and arrested the accused.
It is alleged that the 26-year-old raped the woman at an apartment in the city over the course of several hours at his then address on July 8, 2013.
Judge Eugene O’Kelly was told that the Director of Public Prosecution had directed that the man be charged with two counts of rape but gardai were unable to find the accused as he had since left the address.
Detective Garda Ivan Muldoon told the hearing that he had called to the man’s address and met with associates informing them that he wished to speak with the 26-year-old from the Ivory Coast.
He had evaded gardai until last Friday when the 26-year-old was identified at the boarding gate of trying to board the flight with tickets that had been purchased using what was described as a “compromised United States credit card.”
Det Garda Muldoon said he believed the suspect was attempting to flee the jurisdiction.
“I believe he knew I was looking for him, I believe that’s why he was leaving the country,” he said.
In his evidence, the accused man denied he was fleeing and explained his purpose was to purchase the clothes for Ramadan.
“I was not running away,” he said.
Judge O’Kelly said the purchase of tickets within a fortnight of the DPP directing he be charged “too great a coincidence to displace the inference he was trying to flee.”
Bail was refused and the accused was remanded in custody for the preparation and service of a book of evidence.
