Gardaí deny offering witness money

A claim by an alibi witness in the double murder case that a garda offered him money to give evidence against the accused was rebutted by gardaí yesterday.

Witness Audrias Grigiliunas, aged 45, Ardmoniel Heights, Killorglin, Co Kerry, said on Friday that the h offer was made to him in the home of his girlfriend, Geidra Batiene, at Lynch’s Heights, Killorglin, some weeks after the murders.

At the Central Criminal Court in Tralee yesterday, Detective Garda Michael Healy said he and Sergeant Tim O’Keeffe went to the house on a date between July 20 and July 25, 2013, as they wanted to clarify a discrepancy in a statement with Ms Batiene’s daughter, Eva. He said Mr Grigiliunas came into the room and told them the wrong man had been charged with the murders.

Cross-examined by Brendan Grehan, defending, Det Garda Healy said Mr Grigiliiunas was agitated and he explained to him it was the DPP who directed that the charges be brought.

Refuting the allegation about offering money, he said: “I am horrified by it. In 28 years in the gardaí, I have never offered, or given, money in any investigation.”

Sgt O’Keeffe also rejected the claim, saying he made no offer of money and did not hear Det Garda Healy making an offer.

Sgt O’Keeffe told Mr Grehan Mr Grigiliunas became irate, saying the accused, Aurimas Andruksa was innocent and that he wanted to stop the conversation after that.

Det Inspector Fearghal Patwell, who was in charge of the investigation with other officers, said that under no circumstances was any person involved in the investigation directed to offer money to anyone.