Gardaí hunt for gang who held man for months
Although they have only briefly interviewed him, detectives now believe the 68-year-old was held against his will since he disappeared eight and a half months ago.
Mr McGeever is still in the Midlands Regional Hospital, Mullingar, since Tuesday night following his discovery on a darkened road in Co Leitrim.
Gardaí in Leitrim have now handed over the full investigation to their colleagues at Gort, Co Galway, where Mr McGeever was reported missing in May last year.
Supt Pat Murray has taken over the investigation.
At the time Mr McGeever lived in a mansion near Craughwell, Co Galway, and also had addresses in Dublin.
He has told gardaí he was taken at gunpoint from the grounds of his Craughwell home but doesn’t know where he was held. He said he was driven for several hours before he was dropped out of a van by three men on the road between Swanlinbar, Co Cavan, and Ballinamore, Co Leitrim.
He was found in a dishevelled state by a couple driving home from Enniskillen to Ballinamore, Catherine Vallely, 64, and her partner Peter Rehill.
He told them he didn’t even know what county he was in or what day of the week it was. He also indicated he did not want gardaí to be contacted, but Mr Rehill, who was driving, and Ms Vallely, brought him to the garda station at Ballinamore.
Gardaí have been in touch with the PSNI to establish if they can be of any assistance in the search for the suspected gang of kidnappers. The word “thief” was scratched across Mr McGeever’s forehead with a knife.
Gardaí are waiting for him to make a full recovery from malnutrition and other injuries before they seek a full statement.
One senior officer observed: “It’s looking more and more like he was held against his will for the eight months since he was reported missing.”
They are also inquiring into companies run by Mr McGeever, including KMM International Properties, which was at one time based in Dubai.
