Provisional IRA ‘shot dead suspected drug dealer’

A suspected drug dealer was shot dead on his birthday by the Provisional IRA during its ceasefire, an inquest heard today.

Christopher "Cricky" O'Kane was gunned down as he returned to his security-heavy home in the Currynieran estate, in Derry, on April 21, 2001.

He was locking up his car in the Milldale Crescent driveway, just twenty minutes into his 37th birthday, when two men, arms outstretched, walked towards him firing five bullets into his body.

Named in a Sunday newspaper as one of Northern Ireland's "Seven Deadly Sinners", he was suspected by police of being a drug dealer.

PSNI Inspector Robert Paul said the manner in which the assassination was carried out, and other information, led him to believe the Provisional IRA were responsible.

The dead man's cousin, Declan O'Kane, told the inquest "Cricky" was also concerned about reports in a loyalist publication, Warrior, linking him to the death of a brother of one of the Greysteel murderers.

One man was arrested in the follow-up police murder investigation, but was later released without charge and the case remains open, Inspector Paul said.

The guns used - a 9mm pistol and a .38/357 calibre revolver - had no previous history and have not been used in any shootings since, according to police files.

Unemployed O'Kane had a number of previous non-drugs related convictions, but was known as a dealer. He was evicted from his previous home by the Housing Executive after neighbours complained.

After living for some time in the Drummond Hotel, Ballykelly, he was allocated a new house which was fitted with armoured windows, steel security gates, special lighting and a panic button.

There were also CCTV cameras but the quality and clarity of the footage on the night of the shooting couldn't help identify the killers, Inspector Paul said.