PRESSURE is mounting on Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan to answer claims of corruption by the force in the case of murdered priest Fr Niall Molloy.Last night, the family of the Roscommon priest who was beaten to death in a Clara, Co Offaly, mansion in 1985, said the garda chief could no longer ignore claims of a secret deal with criminal John Traynor.
And the first officer on the murder scene, retired sergeant Kevin Forde, said garda authorities must respond to the allegations. It is claimed gardai dropped charges against drug lord Traynor in return for the stolen file on Fr Molloy's death.
The file was taken from the DPP's office after a break-in by Traynor's associate Martin 'The General' Cahill because it allegedly contained sensitive information that certain people in power did not want in the public domain.
"For three months now, we have been asking the top garda in the land to answer claims that one of the country's most notorious criminals was allowed to walk free so that the guards could get our uncle's file back," says solicitor Henry McCourt, a nephew of Fr Molloy who has been campaigning for justice for his uncle for 27 years.
Fr Niall Molloy (52) was killed after a wedding in the mansion of his close friends Therese and Richard Flynn.
The event was attended by several senior Fianna Fail members.
Richard Flynn was charged with Fr Molloy's death, but the judge directed the jury to acquit him.