Introduction

This 409 page book is derived from 2,500 pages of evidence gathered over seven and a half years of investigation into the death of my brother in Botswana on the 13th of December 2006. This book can only be a work of fiction. It is the result of a recurring nightmare, that for over 7 years has never ended. The top politicians and police in Ireland and Botswana said it never happened. So if they said so then my misgivings and factual evidence are not real but form part of this recurring nightmare. I began my investigation in search of the truth and nothing else, it should not be such an outrageous request?
      So here is the product of my imagination and if anyone thinks they can identify any of the characters in this book, then they too have a very lively imagination like myself. It must be impossible to organize and maintain a conspiracy involving several top politicians and policemen of high rank in Botswana, Ireland and at least on high ranking policeman from Interpol South Africa. I will repeat the nightmare in my own unsophisticated way and you the reader can decide; is is a product of my own wayward imagination or are other people responsible for this recurring nightmare that senior police and top politicians say never happened?

       In Ireland we have the DPP whose God like judgements cannot be questioned by anyone, whose work goes on in secret and is never made public, except of course in the case of Ian Bailey when there was no problem revealing all sorts of information. Yet when I requested information from Gardai, the DPP, the Minister for Justice or anyone else I was met with a wall of silence. 
       We have politicians up to ministers and prime ministers and of all media outlets including radio, TV and newspapers who will not question the perjuries of a black doctor called Doctor Shathani. Surely they would not all conspire to protect a black doctor going by the strange name of Shathani, a Swahili word which translates as 'son of satan'? Just look at the word Shathani, remove three letters hhi and you are left with satan. Put them together and you have the salutation 'H hi satan'. It is just too extraordinary to be true. When you discover that the man who was tortured and murdered by Shathani, 'son of satan' carried the name Michael Marion, ie 'Mary' then it is a case which the whole world should know. 
       If some of the names that occur in my nightmare seem familiar that is just the coincidence of my nightmare and should not be taken as the well known, above reproach politicians and policemen with similar sounding names. So, if this book is to make their names known internationally, I am sure that they will welcome the prestige of featuring in news reports across the globe. Anything to massage the massive egos that each of them carry with such humility. Some of these top people go to church, say one thing in public, mean the opposite and as people to put their trust in them and their political parties because they are only in politics, not as career politicians out to line their own  and their friends' pockets, but rather as servants of the people for the general good of the people. Real good Samaritans with the highest aspirations for your good only. 

        You have only to look at the caliber of out top Irish politicians over the years, people like Ray Burke, Liam Lawlor, Bertie Ahern, Dermot Ahern, Brian Cowen, Brian Lenihan, Eamonn Gilmore, Enda Kenny, Alan Shatter, Charlie Flanagan, Tom Hayes, Tom Barry, Sean Sherlock, Ivana Bacik, Big Phil Hogan, Michael Lowry, a list of names that reads like the who's who of important people we should all bow before, as if they are a new form of deity. Names that were unfortunate that things went wrong during their tenure for which many people unfairly blame them, as we were informed by 'independent' media and the highly paid spin doctors employed at our expense. It wasn't their fault, it was the fault of 'the people' borrowing more than they could afford; it was the Irish people who should pay back the money the banks loaned to a select group of property developers and speculators. These people are truly illuminating in their reasoning because ordinary people like me cannot comprehend the logic behind the way they have asset stripped the country to pay back bondholders in Germany, France and elsewhere, money the state never borrowed. Money that was borrowed by the richest people this country has ever seen and not by the poor misfortunates who bought vastly over priced houses during the bubble created by corrupt planning, politicians and bankers and fanned on by our public broadcaster. 'Get on the property ladder'- RTE propaganda. 
        The Second Vatican Council and documents such as Gaudium et Spes covers several important issues; development, human rights, the dignity of conscience, the family, the role of lay people in the world, war and conflict. The Pastoral Constitution clearly states that the Christian has responsibilities to the faith with many profess in their day to day conduct. Thus, working for justice is not an optional extra for the Christian but rather an integral part of what it means to follow the God of Jesus. Today there is an inescapable duty to make ourselves the neighbor of every many, no matter who he is, and if we meet him to come to his aid. So it is that when I set out to seek truth and justice for my brother, I am carrying out a scared duty before my God. I believe that I would always come to the aid of someone who needed my help and no one needs help more than someone who cannot speak and whose name has been deliberately maligned by police, backed by politicians in Botswana and Ireland. 
        There are other very dark secrets, with some of the same characters, involving a billion pounds robbery in the 1980s which also will make my second book of 'fiction' an illuminating read for many people. This involves the single biggest bank 'fraud', robbery up to then, in the history of the world, planned and carried out from Ireland. 
        Next we have Dermot Ahern, a so called Minister for Justice, more like Minister for Deception, ' there are no IMF people here'. The two Brians, who could question the brains of the Brians who only made the private debts of the avaricious, greedy and incompetent bankers and developers, the sovereign debt of the Irish people. Only people of their amazing brilliance could get away with that. Surely someone somewhere must reward them for their audacious courage. What about the two Es, Eamonn and Enda, in the pre-election promised to make the bondholders share some of the debt burden of the banks. Instead they have lowered the pay of moderately and low paid workers, they have shut hospital wards, sacked thousands of nurses and have made the poor and middle class pay for all the debts of the super rich. They have even transferred some of these enormous debts onto as yet unborn Irish children. Yet those paid hundreds of thousands a year, plus million euro pension pots, plus clever expense accounts, can avoid most taxes altogether.
        Think about it as you go to work, you get your weeks pay less PAYE,PRSI, USC, VHI, transport bill, telephone bill, your heating bill, your food bill, the tax on your home bill, the electricity bill and all other bills but if you are a TD, a bank director or a professional you can have an expense account. This covers all the nasty stuff like transport, food, telephone, and a host of things you take for granted, that you must pay from your meagre highly taxed pay. This book is pure fiction, so if you think some of it applies to you, you are just being paranoid like me. If some of the things I write herein seem to fit exactly with all the facts that are available out there; it is pure coincidence.  
There is no specific person in mind when I am writing any sentence or chapter in this book. I repeat, it is all part of a crazy nightmare that will not win a literature prize for writing a convincing book about a list of strange characters who are too unbelievable to be true.


So, let the nightmare begin. 

Chapter 1 The Car Accident

                                            
It began like other sad days this annus-horribilis with a funeral, the date was the fifteenth of December, 2006, as I parked a short distance from Hyde’s funeral home, it was just 7.15pm.   As I was driving down to Cork, a song from my early twenties called Sylvia’s mother by Dr Hook came on the radio.  It reminded me of a very special person, whose father Paddy was also a good friend and so it was before I got to Cork, I was feeling quite melancholy.
       I had come to pay my respects to Eileen who had died suddenly and to offer my support and prayers to her two young daughters, Catherine and Elizabeth. Catherine was a prize winning chef when she graduated from the cookery college; and had recently moved to Ottawa with her fiancé, Chris Marz. Chris, who is Canadian is a wonderful chef also and a genuinely nice person as well. Eileen’s husband my cousin, and life long friend Tom Collins; we grew up together, he used to come to our home during the summer holidays and stay where we had ferocious ‘Cork and Tipperary’ games of hurling. We were in the same class at Mount Melleray College, near Cappoquin, Co. Waterford for five years.  In my first year in the college, I read the entire junior library stock. My favourite and the book which had the most lasting impression on me, was Beau Geste. This book is an inspiring book about honour, honesty and  responsibility. It gave me values and a sense of right and wrong, of always looking out for the weak.
       My brothers and I had many great memories growing up.  We had grown up in a very progressive farm in the beautiful Blackwater valley, in one of the many tributary vales to be found all the way along this great river valley. The area was defined by the local creamery at Curraghgorm,  the local church at Killacluig and the local town of Mitchelstown. Margaret and Willie Fitzgerald worked on the farm when we were young. The Fitzgeralds were more than working on the farm, they and their parents, Paddy and Mollie were part of the family. Margaret raised us when we were small as our parents were always out working on the farm. Mitchelstown Creamery at that time was the biggest and most successful cooperative creamery in Europe, producing high quality prize winning cheese, butter, chocolate crumb and powder milk as well as building a world quality bacon factory which exported all over the world. This was at a time when words meant what they said, not the snake like words of politicians since the beginning of the twenty first century. Now words can mean anything they want or nothing at all. Mitchelstown Creamery was under the management of John McCarthy, a visionary manager and a man of honesty and integrity. He was later to be sacked by a group of greedy men who saw opportunities to enrich themselves by replacing him with someone who would turn a blind eye to the pilfering and asset stripping that was to follow. The end result is the decimated ruins of Dairygold you see today as exemplified by a heap of rubble where the Mitchelstown Galtee bacon factory once stood.
      I was an alter boy growing up and served mass for many years. I became head alter boy when I was nine years old and served mass for Fr Richard Norris when he was home from England.  He was a kind and gentle servant of God who left a big impression on me. I used to get time off from school to serve mass while he was home and got a lift back to school from him after mass. Before he returned to England he always gave me a Ten Shilling note, which for me was a fortune.  It allowed me to begin my collection of Marvel comics; Superman, Ironman, X-Men and The Hulk. I also had a collection of Classics Illustrated, Ivanhoe, Joan of Arc, Ben Hur, Cleopatra, Jules Verne and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. It opened my imagination to history, geography, the stars and the magic world of reading. 
      When I was older I used drive the little grey Ferguson tractor to the creamery and got to know all the people in the hinterland.  They were all special people who always greeted everyone with a smile and a joke.  People like Paddy Barry and Ned O’Brien at the milk intake and Ted O’Donnell at the meal store.  I will always remember Paddy’s joke about Pat and Mag; ‘Pat was helping at Mag’s first confinement by holding the oil lamp. When Mag had produced a son, a daughter and another son in quick succession, Pat suddenly put the lamp out. 
Relight that lamp at once, said the midwife, I think there is another. 
I will not , said Pat, it’s the light that’s attracting them.’
      When Tom Collins and I were ten years old we bought a packet of ten Sweet Afton and a box of matches. We knew my mother would not approve so we set off for a walk down the road, to be a safe distance from mothers all seeing eyes.  When we got as far as the lois we felt we were far enough away and safe to light up; Tom Collins, my younger brother Michael and myself. The three little men made their way down passed the ‘high field’ in a cloud of smoke as far as Jack Sheehy’s , we wanted  our neighbour to see how grown up we were. Unfortunately mother saw our cloud of smoke and gave me a kick in my posterior when we got home. She said, “I was the ring leader and the others would not smoke only for my encouragement.” It was a double punishment because the cigarettes had made me quite ill. 

It was only last May, I had been at this same funeral home, at the same time for the unexpected funeral of my good friend, Donal Buckley. Donal was a very entertaining companion on a night out or while travelling.  He was also a republican, a prolific poet and had a deep understanding of life.  He had self published several books of poetry. He wrote two poems for my daughter Maria, on her First Communion Day, 25th May 2002.  They were written on the back of a painting done by Maighread Ni Bhuachalla, Claidhe Dubh, Carraig Tuathail, Co.Corcai.  1882.
Sister Bernard is a Great Aunt of Maria from Uncle: Domhnall Na Greine.  
The first poem is called : 
                                          
                                      My Tree House

I have a little tree house,  that I call my own.
Sometimes Spot comes in here, so, I give him a bone.
She feels alone and bored, while Katie is away,
So, she’s my guest today, to dream awhile and play.

Blackie has his own tree house, not as high as mine.
Spot flips up her little ears, when she hears him whine.
Then, our horse gets rude, and gallops round the paddock.
But, he’s our star; born between castor and Pollock.

He’s the twinkled messenger of the Greek gods.
Goldfinch wink, and the owl in the ivy tree nods.
Yellow-hammers perch on my leafy window sill, 
And fairy-thimbles chime, but don’t send on a bill.

Down below, the goldfinch dine on dandelion.
I watch the young calves prance, through gaps in the clothesline.
Granny says ‘suc-suc’ and then gives them a wallop.
Their tails up-high, white as bogcotten they gallop.

Then I close my eyes from the leafy sun and dream,
And I see fairies dance on bubbles on the stream,
And over the white moon, the clouds are soothing blue.
It’s then I say a little prayer for all of you.

The second poem is called:
                                              Shadow Thunder

Between Galtees and Knockmealdowns,
An egret, owl and swallow flew
Over the poet young Maria
Who’s horse’s name I ‘Shadow Thunder’.

“He does not want to go away,
Daddy you have to let him stay
And hear my karaoke song
When rednose winter comes along”.

The third of June on the white moon:
“He was born the same day as me,
He shakes pink petals from the tree,
So, please, Daddy listen and see”.

“Between plastered horses on the pier
I whisper in his hairy ear
So that the bullocks will not hear
Our private conversations dear”.

“He looks so sad on the T.V.,
Too far over the sea,
And he comes home, so contrary,
Please keep him in Tipperary”.  (21-06-1999. D.naG.)

I remember him saying to me that "if one or two of my poems stand the test of time then it will have all been worthwhile." He said "even the great poets like Yeats and Wordsworth are remembered for one or two great poems."                               
          On the 26th February 2006 I had attended the funeral of one of my close friends from university, Fergus Connolly. At least once a week during our university years we went to Cork greyhound track with our friend Rosie.  We had great fun pitting our wits against the bookmakers.  Rosie always backed a black bitch in trap six. Fergus studied the dogs and backed the fittest looking dog. I searched for tips from trainers. On one memorable cold Monday evening, I met my neighbour the great greyhound breeder, trainer Patrick Norris; he tipped me his dog in the second race at five to one. I had a pound on and Fergus and Rosie each had a half crown. The greyhound won and I thanked Patrick for this wonderful tip and he assured me his dog in the fifth race was even better. I reinvested my winnings with old Peter Murphy again at odds of five to one.  Considering five pounds was a weeks wages in 1970, he was not too pleased to be paying out thirty pounds to a young upstart after the fifth race.  My racing companions had invested a pound each and we lived like kings for a month afterwards.  Patrick, Peter and Fergus are all dead now, ar dhis dhei go raibh ar anmh.  We had remained friends for over thirty years and Fergus always seemed young in my eyes. He had this amazing curiosity about life and people and he was always interested in what others were doing. Yet he was always doing a myriad number of things himself. He was a wonderful teacher, he was a single handicap golfer, he was a very talented rally navigator.  He enthusiastically embraced farming, he was immensely proud of getting his own herd number and having his own cattle. I don’t think there was anything he could not do. His devoted wife Marie too had been a friend from college and I had been a guest at their wedding in Killarney many years ago. Marie’s father Andy had been my horse advisor and he was an expert on all ailments my horses ever had, he was a brilliant horseman and his advice meant I had many successful years racing, his knowledge of how to raise young stock and how to heal injured horses was encyclopaedic.  I often called him for advice and he was never wrong. When their two daughters Andrea and Darina, were grown up, they gave us their high chair and my own daughters Katie and Maria used it until they were old enough to sit at table. It was a deep shock when I got the call to say that Fergus was dead. I still find it difficult to believe he is no longer around, a part of my life died when he passed away.
        Donal Buckley was the second unexpected death in 2006, just three months after Fergus.  Donal and I had many adventures together, many memorable days. The two most outstanding were our trip to Ayr race course in April 1999. Then there was the wedding of his nephew Donal O’Shea and Renee Marin at Kapuskasing, in northern Ontario in July 2004. Donal told me that “he did not have the money to go to the wedding!”
So I said to him “that I would give him an advance payment of 3,000 euros for the site that we were buying from him.”  
Donal Buckley was a man of honour and his word was his bond. I never once thought of asking him for a receipt. So it was we flew to Toronto and from there, got a connecting flight to the gold mining town of Timmins.  I was amazed to find that once we were about sixty miles north of Toronto, there was nothing to be seen except trees and lakes, for all of the one and a half hour flight. We collected our hire car at Timmins airport and then I drove the 150 miles to Kapuskasing, with one stop for coffee at Iroquois Falls. Once we were about three miles outside of Timmins it was unbroken forest all the way, along Highway 11. Which is the most northern road in Canada, going all the way from Timmins to Thunder Bay on the northern shores of Lake Superior. There was no sign of habitation or life apart from the signs to watch out for deer and bears crossing the road.   When we got near Kapuscasing it was after midnight. We were met four miles east of the town by Ron and Lena , the parents of the bride who asked us to follow them to the lakeside chalets we had rented for our week in the area. We turned off the road and for five miles we travelled deep into the forest along dirt roads. Finally we arrived at the lakeside and were shown our delightful holiday homes. There were many great memories of this holiday, the outing on the paddle boat by the entire wedding party on the Kapuskasing river up to Big Beaver Falls, complete with top class food and fine wines. Kapuskasing is a Cree word meaning ‘bend in the river’. The town is based around the wood pulp and paper manufacturing mill which exports newsprint paper, to all corners of the globe. The dinner with the mayor of the fabulous craft town of Hearst and Jemma Marin, the bride’s grandmother was a great honour. The flights on the flying boat with the owner of the holiday chalets,  to see moose and black bears out in the wild was amazing. The great parties out on the private island of the Marin family and exploring the lake on the famous pontoon flat bottom boats.  
      The most unique journey Donal or I ever enjoyed was the journey to Hudson Bay, whose shores are lapped by the waters of the Arctic Ocean.  We travelled on the Polar Bear Express from Cochrane to Moosonee, a six hour train journey.  On reaching Moosonee we quickly made our way to the docks and hired a native Indian canoe, Donal paid the ten dollars fare for us both, to take us the two mile outward journey to Moose Factory Island. It was a great feeling to know we were travelling the waters of the Arctic region for the first time in our lives. We felt we were going into the unknown. We explored the island and were taken with the friendliness and hospitality of the first nation people. The Omushkegowuk or swampy Cree have held an intimate relationship with the Moose river and surrounding wetlands for countless generations. As we made our way along the dirt road, we saw tanned Moose hides drying outside teepees and could hear Cree spoken by people on the streets. The Hudson Bay Trading Company set up a trading post in Moose Factory Island in 1693 and was the company’s second North American post. When we asked some children where the Indian heritage centre was, they guided us to the door of the building. The centre had several animal skins like wolf, fox and moose and many artefacts of the Cree peoples and their history.  At the Cree village centre we visited the amphitheatre, gift shop, bakery ,restaurant and traditional tepee where we enjoyed bannock and tea with the elders. Donal purchased an Indian dream catcher and it was so delicate and beautiful that I got one too. Donal had a deep belief and interest in the spirit world. He was knowledgeable about many religions and had a great insight into ancient and prehistory. He had a very interesting book about Atlantis and he loaned me this book, which I read with great interest.  We took a taxi to the Moose river region, this area is famous for the fossilized remains of marine organisms, dating from the Devonian period of 375 million years ago, when this area had a tropical climate. Now that is what I would call global warming! The five hours on the Island went quickly and we had to return to make our train , the Polar Bear Express for the return journey. It was my turn to pay the fare for the return journey,-  it was twenty dollars or stay on the island. Donal laughed so much, I was done for the double fare.
       About two hours into the six hour train journey, Donal pulled out his tin whistle and began to play a selection of jigs, reels and slow airs. Quickly the word spread from carriage to carriage that a gifted musician was playing music and the place was full in a matter of minutes. About twenty beautiful native Indian children from about four to fourteen, sat in front of him and around him, and clapped enthusiastically after each selection.  Donal was inspired by them and played the best music I ever heard him play.  He played for two solid hours and not one child or adult left the carriage. It was a virtuoso performance. Adults and children alike shook his hand and thanked him for treating them to his gift. He was so happy, I think he felt he was in heaven and for a little while he had played the music of the heavenly cherubim, you could feel the emotion of his soul in every note of the music. It was really special to be present to hear it.

Closer to home, at least once a week, we were to be found just a few hundred metres from where I was standing, at the Café East, a wonderful Chinese restaurant. On one memorable evening we were dining as usual with our friend Tom O’Gorman, Tom had a sizzling king prawn with ginger and spring onions, Donal had beef in a black bean sauce and I had duck a l’orange. We had a bottle of a very good Romanian wine which needed replacement by the time the main course arrived. I am afraid before the meal was finished we had finished the second bottle. The Chinese waiter came to remove the empty bottles and to enquire if we required another.
 I said, “no we better not we’re half pickled as it is!”
“Two dead ducks!”, said Donal to the rightly confused waiter as he looked at the empty bottles.
“Where? Where?”, said the now very alarmed waiter as he quickly looked about and under the table. 
“Two dead  ducks,” repeated Donal pointing at the two quite empty bottles.
The waiter collapsed in fits of laughter and possibly relief, at finding out that there were no dead ducks, lying on the restaurant  floor.  Every time we visited the restaurant after that night, he used to say “two dead ducks” when we came to dine. After our meal he always performed a Chinese tea ceremony, as a gift to the man who had amused him so much. I missed him deeply, his humour and his eternal optimism, regardless of the calamity. For me and my little family it had been a very untimely death, after three years of battling the most twisted planning decisions, we had finally got planning permission for my wife, a cancer patient, to build a house on the land of her birth. The planners held the final decision up for months, they insisted there was no mains sewer line. Even though there are two houses connected to it and a manhole outside on the roadside into which they discharged.  On flushing the toilet with blue dye, we could clearly see it flowing into and out through the public manhole. The planners denied its existence.  They claimed it was just discharging under the dual carriageway for the previous 20 years.  It had managed to do this without washing away the road and causing it to collapse.  This manhole is on the edge of Carrigtwohill, just before the slip road to the town coming from Midleton. I had made an agreement with Donal to buy 6.3 acres from him.
        I had made a number of part payments to Donal, the largest was almost eleven thousand euros on the month he died suddenly. In all twenty five thousand euros, I had no worries about making advance payments to Donal, as he was a man of his word, a man of honour. If he gave his word you did not need receipts or solicitors, his word was his bond. I thought things couldn’t get much worse until his will was read, leaving everything to his cousin – Denis Buckley, who promptly told me that, he had no intention of honouring any agreements I had made with his generous benefactor, even though he stood to receive the generous gift of one hundred and ten acres. The fact that Donal’s sister was “a recovering cancer patient, is nothing to do with me”, Denis had informed me when I pleaded with him to honour the agreement. The fact that the property was worth in excess of twenty million euros even after the small parcel of land which I had purchased was removed, could not satisfy his greed for everything.        
        The loss was not only the 25,000 euros I paid Donal, there was also the 15,000 euros I had paid an engineer to make repeated planning applications over a period of three years until we were finally granted planning on the week Donal died. Making the total losses in excess of 40,000 euros. I was not to know that it was not to be my last close encounter, with absolute greed in this year of 2006. In an age where greed is treated as a virtue, am I old fashioned to believe in honour and right and wrong? In the last twenty years there has been a blurring of right and wrong, some people cannot tell the difference. Many people do not believe in forces of good or evil, of heaven and hell, of God or satan. It has become acceptable to do wrong if the end result is greater wealth for the individual at the expense of the lives of others. These people think nothing of destroying the lives of anyone on their way to riches. It is simply the doctrine of satan, ‘might is right’.
            I signed the book of condolences and stood outside the door-observing people come and go until the time came for the coffin to make its journey to the church of The Sacred Heart at Glauntane. I knew my brother Peter would be late; he always arrived at the last minute in a great hurry.  When the funeral cortege arrived at the church, I saw his car as I parked in the car park. We made our way into the little church and the local priest led the prayers for Eileen. Afterwards the family invited us to join them at the New Radisson Hotel in Little Island for refreshments. Peter’s wife said she needed to go home with her grandchildren and so it was that Peter travelled with me to the Hotel. At the hotel we met many people we knew. We remembered the good times, when Eileen had been in good health; sadly the latter years had been years of evolving pain from chronic arthritis. Until her heart, weakened by pain gave out and she died peaceably in her sleep.  

At just before 10.00pm my mobile rang, it was my niece Anne-Marie, “Can I speak to dad please uncle Tom?” 
“He’s right here beside me,” I said and handed Peter the phone. 
“It must be very important,” I remarked to Eddy Collins who sat at the other side of me, Eddy who was teaching in London, had travelled over for the funeral of his sister in law.
“When did he die?”, we heard Peter ask and the table went silent as he listened intently. A minute later he handed the phone back to me.
“Mike is dead,” he said. “He has been killed in a car accident out in Botswana”. There was a stunned silence. 
My cousin Margaret O’Connor was the first the speak. “I am deeply sorry,” she said and came around the table and hugged us both,
“I really don’t know what to say, we can only pray for all of you at this time.” 
“Tomeen, I am very sorry,” said my cousin Tom Collins. 
“Let me get you a drink, what will you have? A glass of Paddy?” he suggested.  
“OK, I need it,” I said.  “I can’t believe it, it’s just too convenient for Lynch. Just when he was almost free of her after twenty five years of verbal incontinence from that horrible old witch, followed by three years of aggravated lies and torture, its just not right." 
I lost count of the number of people who came and sympathised with us on the loss of our quiet and gentle brother, Michael. We quickly downed our drinks and in a state of shock, we excused ourselves and made our way to my car. The drop of whiskey had evaporated in an instant in the raging turmoil and questions that raced through my mind.  I just could not believe that Mike was dead, my brother, my friend, my travelling companion.  
        For twenty-five years, Lynch would not let Mike have anything to do with me. In me, she could see someone who could look deep into her evil soul. I have a sixth sense about people and get a very accurate picture of the person’s spirit. Some people have a beautiful spirit, while others have a distinct evil aura. Such people immediately distance me from their sphere of influence. She barred my brother Michael from attending my wedding twenty two years previously. It was so sad just meeting him by accident in Tom Roche’s supermarket, exchanging a few words like passing strangers, he was always on his guard, as there would always be some of her children hanging off him. He knew that if they reported back that he was speaking to me, she would behave like a demented ‘old bat’ for months on end. Over the years I could see an unspoken sadness in my brother’s eyes, he felt the hurt of the unwarranted and unwanted separation. But his wife Lynch insisted on it, in this there was no compromise. As my nephew had summarised on hearing of her departure in 2004 from Michael’s home at Knockagarry, “she has been leaving since she arrived and now that it is worth her while, she’s gone.”
      Michael had been unable to understand the purpose behind the manipulations of his greed obsessed wife. Greed at wanting what clearly belonged to others for herself;  complete hatred of the McGrath family, greed at never having enough, greed and hatred dominated every waking moment of her life. Even when they had become wealthy, she insisted on he handing over all money coming into the house to herself, he kept just twenty euros for himself each week. The remaining three thousand nine hundred and eighty euros she counted and recounted before distributing between a network of bank accounts in various cities, most in false names.
“It’s the sheer convenience of it that gets me,” I said to Peter. “It just can’t be an accident.” 
“Well there’s nothing we can do about it now, accident or not, she gets everything,” said Peter.
“It just does not make sense. Mike was always careful, he was a very good driver,” I said. 
“Yes”, said Peter, “he even drove those big artic lorries and never put even a scratch on them.” 
        When we arrived in Mitchelstown at Anne-Marie’s there were a lot of cars outside. We went in and were hugged by our nephews Tom, Michael and his wife Emma, Anne-Marie and her husband Jack Flynn, who had got to know Mike well over the twelve days at Fanahan’s wedding in Kentucky.  My first cousins Tom O’Regan and his wife Noreen, Kathleen Sampson and Ann Cleary, my wife Kitty and my daughters Katie and Maria and my eighty six year old mother Mary. We talked about the sad event and what would happen next. I wanted details, I asked Anne-Marie to recall how she came to be told that Mike was killed.  
“I received a phone call from Marie at 8.50pm,” she said.
“Have you somewhere quiet to take this phone call? There has been an accident, Dad is dead.” Marie had informed her.
“As you know, it is drink related,” she concluded.
“I loved your Dad very much,” said Anne-Marie.
“I’ll ring you when we know more,” said Marie. 
       At 10.45pm we asked Anne-Marie to again speak with her first cousin, Marie and ask her for Shathani’s phone number, so that we could enquire further what happened. 
Marie said “I have no phone number for Shathani, we have only been in contact with the police. As you know we only found out what happened to Dad an hour before I rang you.  We believe Shathani was in the car accident with his fiancée. He is getting married on Saturday, as you know weddings in Botswana take 3 days, so it will be Tuesday before there is a post mortem.”
Anne-Marie relayed this conversation back to us word for word.  
“That is strange,” said Peter. “When I was over at Knockagarry, feeding Mike’s cattle this evening at 4.30pm, his house was all lit up, they were in his house.”
It was a typical Irish December evening with heavy sticky mist and ominous dark grey clouds which made it dark an hour earlier than normal. It had been raining for most of December 2006, so the cattle had to be fed twice every day.
“They must be psychic,” said my nephew Michael, “They knew before they got the phone call, that they were going to be told he was dead.”  
“His death could not have come at a better time for Margaret Lynch,” said Kathleen, “she has the luck of the devil”.   
“The devil takes care of his own,” said Peter’s wife who is also called Margaret.
“He has a very close relative to take care of in Lynch,” I said. 
“I can take it you don’t like her,” Kathleen remarked with a smile. 
Kathleen knew how to get me riled. “Like her ?” I asked, “What is there to like? She does not have a single redeeming quality, she has no beauty, kindness, intelligence or musical ability. She had no education, wealth or property. She has a puffy circular shapeless face with narrow cruel eyes, topped by a bush of coarse horse like hair, dyed the most unnatural black. Her forehead is narrow and her bandy legs are short. She is a definition of all the seven deadly sins, boundless selfishness, covetousness, enviousness, deceitfulness, lustfulness, arrogant pride and bottomless greed.  On the few times I was in her presence, her constant prattling about nothing did my head in, I thought while listening to her if hell is like this, it must be an awful place!!"

      Peter’s wife said, “your father the Boss-man was like a prophet of doom, the day of Mike’s wedding in 1979 when we got into the car after the wedding ceremony in Carrignavar church. He said- woman we’ve got a right plaster here!”
“What are you on about now?” your mother asked. 
“I was in the pub having a pint before the wedding and I was listening to the locals talking about the new bride.”
The barman said, “well we all know who the happiest man in Carrignavar today is!”  
“Well everyone knows it isn’t the groom,” said an old timer at the bar.
“A lot of people would have paid good money to see the back of that one,” said another. 
“They all agreed unanimously that the new bride was nothing but trouble,” said your father. 
“Your mother said; “ahh go away out of that, that’s only pub talk.”
 “Well one old man called her ‘black Lynch’ and he said he wasn’t talking about the colour of her skin or her hair but the colour of her soul,” my father concluded  . 
       They were just back two days from the honeymoon, when we began to find out that the locals knew their subject, Maggie Lynch well. My father, who at 55 years of age had signed over everything he had to his son, went up to the mobile home to get the keys of the Audi 80 car which he had purchased two years previously, “ I must go to town to get the vet for a sick animal,” he explained to his son’s new bride. 
“That is none of your business, if a vet is needed, Michael can do it,” said Maggie Lynch, letting my father know that she was now the boss and that the family farm that he had so recently and generously signed over to his son, was now totally her property!      
                                                                                                                                        
I was worn out, I could not take anymore this day, “I must go home and go to bed,” I said. I excused myself and went home to bed. On Saturday the 16th December Anne-Marie received a text message from her first cousin Brid:

'O’Brien’s funeral home are dealing the Irish side of things. They think Saturday or Sunday. In Mitchelstown probably, unless anyone wants it in Killacluig. He had bought a plot for his son John in Fermoy,  Kilcromper new part graveyard. There is a lot of things we have to sort out with Botswana tomorrow. Still haven’t heard from Shathani. Wedding ends tomorrow. (17th December, 2006) His friend said he has received our message and will do what he has to on Tuesday. (19th December, 2006)  Will tell ye when I know more. X’    
                                   
          Saturday was spent in a daze, I do not remember much about the day except the pain I felt and the conviction, that nothing sounded right. On Sunday, Peter and his wife Margaret invited us for Sunday lunch. It was a very subdued affair. Conversation was about the good times spent with Mike in the last few, now, very short years. I could not raise any enthusiasm for the conversation. Michael had been separated since July 2004 and now December 2006, just short of two and a half years, he was dead. I went home straight after the meal to be alone with my thoughts. I wanted silence, so that my soul could communicate with the spirits, I felt deeply that ‘something just was not right’!
       The following day, we went back to the church in Glauntane to join in the mass and to say our goodbye to Eileen Collins. I drove, with mother in the front seat and Peter and Margaret, travelled in the back.  Peter informed me he had a call from Marie, asking to meet with him at the Fir Grove Hotel at 2.00pm, to discuss important matters. On the way home we stopped off at Corbett Court Hotel for our lunch. Normally I enjoyed the good food and pleasant service here, but on this day my eating was not for enjoyment, it was just going through the motions. After lunch we made the short journey to the Fir Grove Hotel, we arrived at 1.55pm. and I parked just next to the entrance to the hotel.  Peter got out of the car and made his way inside, immediately after, the four offspring of Lynch strode four abreast across the car park, Marie, Brid, Michael and Diarmuid, they clearly saw their grandmother sitting in the front seat of the car and passed by within eight feet of her. Without the slightest acknowledgement, they entered the hotel.  
     Peter was in the foyer, when he saw them he came and shook hands with all four of them and said “I am very sorry at the death of your father, Michael.”  
“Yes! Everyone is sorry,” Marie replied.
She then took charge. “I want to speak to you on your own Peter, you lot sit down over there,” she commanded her siblings. 
“Will I call my brother Tom in to join us?" Peter asked. 
“No, this is important business and its only between you and me or nobody!” Marie said and she led Peter to a far quiet corner and sat down. 
“OK,” she said “the first thing is to decide where to bury him, he has a plot at Kilcrumper cemetery, his son is buried there.”
“He expressed the wish to be buried in Kilbehenny with his father,” Peter said.
“OK, then that’s settled,” she replied, “he will be buried at Kilbehenny.”
“Next who goes under the coffin? My brothers Michael and Diarmuid are two positions, yourself and Tom or whoever fill the other two, you can decide who that is,” she said generously. 
Peter was very pleased with the way the meeting was going, she was being very reasonable, even leaving many important decisions to himself. Like where Michael was to be buried and who went under the coffin, he was pleased. That was as it should be, he was the eldest and so the head of the family.  
“When is the funeral?” Peter asked.
“Dr Shathani cannot identify the body until Wednesday, so as you know there will be no post mortem until then, we are trying to make arrangements to get the body back as soon as possible,” she said. “We hope to have the funeral maybe Christmas eve.”     
           She then pulled an A4 page from her bag. Just at that moment, Peter’s wife Margaret, her curiosity having taken control, decided to take a sneak look at what was taking place inside the hotel. She observed the three siblings sitting at a table on their own. She moved over to the other side of the room and looked over the room divider, there she observed Marie with an A4 document in her hand, which she held out towards Peter. Margaret noted that Marie’s hand was shaking quite noticeably. Margaret then left and returned to the car. 
“Michael committed suicide in a hospital in Botswana, in the early hours of Wednesday morning,” Marie said. 
“I have just received an official report here from the police in Botswana, police witnesses, nurses, independent eyewitnesses, so as you know there is no doubt whatsoever it is suicide.” 
She held the document towards Peter, urging him to take it. Her hands were shaking and she was glad when Peter said, “No, I don’t want to read it”. 
Peter sat in stunned silence, he went from being pleased with the way the meeting was going, to wishing he was elsewhere. This was not supposed to be the way Mike died. 
“We tried to help him when we left Knockagarry, we knew he was suicidal even then,” she said pushing home her suicide point and adding
”You should have encouraged him to get psychiatric treatment.”
She looked directly into Peter’s glazed eyes and knew that the lights were out. He sat there speechless with shock. It was time to make her exit, after delivering the knock out punch. 
“Anything else you wish to discuss,” she said magnanimously, picking up the fax message from the consul and standing up, she reached out her hand and shook hands with uncle Peter. Quickly she left the hotel and beckoned her siblings to follow. They marched out together as they had entered, in a show of unnatural unity, that was clearly for the benefit of uncle Tom, sitting outside the hotel door in the car. Peter made his way to the bar, he ordered a double paddy whiskey and downed it in one sip.  He then made his way to the toilet.  A few minutes later he made his way back to the car. 
“How did the meeting go?” his wife Margaret asked. 
“It went very well,” he replied. “Marie was in charge and she took me aside to have a private chat and she was very nice about everything.” 
“I asked Marie if Tom could join us and she said an emphatic no,” he said. 
“I asked to have Mike buried in Kilbehenny and she agreed without a murmur.”  
“Then we discussed who would go under the coffin, she said Michael and Diarmuid ,and it was up to me after that,” explained Peter.
 “God, she is not as bad as I thought,” said Margaret. 
 “We all misjudged her, she was quite pleasant about everything,” said Peter. 
 “OK, that’s it so,” I said. “I will drive you home.”


The days dragged and there was no news of Mike’s body returning home, Tuesday dragged on into Wednesday, it was a full week since his death, the latest news was that it would now be after Christmas. On Wednesday I could feel deep pressure on both my temples, across my forehead and along the top of my head. It felt like someone was squeezing my head hard from every direction.  Christmas eve arrived and I felt no joy, this eve. I just wished it was over. What was there to be joyful about this year? It had delivered body blow after body blow, ones that were known only to myself and the burden shared with nobody. I had thought the year could not get any worse after the death of  my friends Fergus, Donal Buckley and Eileen Collins  and here was something that felt even worse .  My brother’s body lay thousands of miles away and I could do nothing.         
       For Christmas day, we were invited to Peter and Margaret’s home for our Christmas dinner. It was a very quite affair and shortly after dinner , I went home to think and to reflect about my missing brother, his body lying, rotting and forgotten in a primitive far away country. I felt the acute lack of money or resources that prevented me from going out there to find out what was going on. I felt miserable to be so broke that I could not have gone with him to this infernal wedding, if I was there I would be driving. I always did the driving on our foreign travels. I had driven over two million accident free miles since I stated driving. Mike had never driven outside Ireland. I wanted to go out there and make sure that his body was properly looked after and that he would be expeditiously returned for a Christian burial.   
        As I sat by the window a little robin landed on the window sill and looked directly at me, the little bird must have seen the agony in my eyes as he stood just inches from me.  He stayed there for a long time as I looked at him and wondered why he had chosen to come so close to me on this sorrowful day. I believed he had come to sympathise with me and to tell me that the heavens knew the full truth of what happened. I could see his red breast rising and falling as his heart beat inside his tiny little body.  At some time as I watched him he somehow puffed out his feathers and he looked almost twice his original size. But even the majesty and beauty of this kind little creature could not lift the utter helplessness that bore down upon me.  I was burning up with the helplessness of it all as I went to bed on Christmas night. I had a restless night with very broken sleep, my brother kept entering my dreams. Day and night, he kept entering every waking moment of my existence. I wished for his funeral so that maybe I could begin the long slow process of grieving and healing.                                                                                                                          
          I arose just as daylight seeped through the curtains. It was December the twenty sixth, St Stephen’s day the traditional day for children to hunt the wren. I remembered other distant days when Michael and myself dressed up and went about on our two small bicycles about the countryside, visiting the neighbours. First place of call was our nearest neighbours Jack and Mrs Clifford, then onto Paddy and Molly Fitzgerald on up the road to Pad and Bridgie Pickott and then Micky McCarthy. Next we doubled back and went to Mickie Tom McGrath before calling on Jack and Mrs. Sheehy.  They were always generous with loads of chocolate and a shilling to go with it. Next was Patrick and Joan Norris, Joan always knew who we were despite our disguise and insisted on a song. I used to get Michael to sing and we always got something extra for that, usually a sixpence and a bar of chocolate. Sometimes I persuaded him to dance as well. Our last ports of call were Bill O’Sullivan and John Foley, that was every home in Knockagarry visited on St. Stephens day. After our hours of fun and eating huge amounts of chocolate, we would return home to recover from our over indulgence with our kind and generous neighbours.   
           I hoped we did not have any wren boys today, I was just feeling too raw about this far away death of Michael. I felt there was something terrible about his death and now we could not even bury him. Every day was like a funeral day and I felt his spirit was begging me to do something, not just to sit there helpless. But helpless I was, I had no job, financially I was broke. I was out of work with my health broken by the succession of unbelievable events at work that resulted, over a short four years in me developing, psorisis, diabetes, shoulder capulitis and psoriatic arthritis .                                                    
              Michael, my brother I thought, when you really need me to help, I am at my weakest and can do nothing. I will just pray that your body is returned home soon for a Christian burial. But I even found it difficult to pray, all I could think of was how could I have prevented Michael’s death. Before he travelled To Botswana, I had a premonition that he was going to be killed in Africa. I specifically warned him to be extra careful but he said “don’t worry I will be safe with Dr. Shathani!” I felt so sure that he was going to die in Africa, that I was going to ask him for the keys of his Mercedes car before he left, but then I dismissed my premonitions as absurd.  But amazingly a few weeks later the car keys did become an issue again. I had never met this doctor but I had warned Michael about him, when Michael told me the doctor had ‘cancer’ and his father had died of ‘cancer’! I told Michael that “I did not believe that Dr. Shathani or his father had cancer!” Michael was very cross at me for doubting the word of Shathani.

           At 11.30am my mobile phone rang, it was Michael’s friend Patricia. “Tom” she said, “I remembered I had Michael’s mobile phone which he gave me on the day he left; I was thumbing through the messages and I found a number of messages to him from Dr. Shathani.”
“He had text Michael on the 22nd November asking him to pay for the ‘wedding’.” On the 26th November he texted him his bank details and thanked him.” 
“I decided to ring Dr. Shathani on the 20th December to find out what happened, he was back in Limerick.”
He said that, “Michael had committed suicide in a hospital in Palapye by breaking a bottle and cutting his throat with it.”
“I do not believe that Michael would do that,” she said. 
“I do not believe it either,” I said. “Now I know for certain he was murdered.”
“What are you going to do?” asked Patricia. 
“This is the first I heard of this, I must talk to Peter about it. Thank you for telling me,” I said. 
“Let me know what is happening, I miss Michael very much”, said Patricia. 
As soon as I put down the phone, I rang Peter.
“Peter, I have just been told that Dr. Shathani said Mike committed suicide, by cutting his throat with a broken bottle!”
“I was told last week by Marie that he committed suicide,” said Peter.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” I asked.
“I didn’t want to upset you,” said Peter.
“What way do you think I am, now that I am certain he was murdered?” 
“You will never be able to find out what happened out there, that’s the end of it,” said Peter. 
  

Chapter 2 The Psychic

Sometime in 2005, I had been reading a newspaper article about a psychic whose evidence to London police, twenty years previously had recently solved a murder mystery in England.  Some unknown inspiration urged me to contact her straight away. I had managed to find out her phone number and rang her but she was just leaving for a month long trip to England. So I put the news report away with the phone number written on it. 
      Early on the morning of  the 27th December I began searching for the news page with the phone number, in a large bundle of news clippings I had retained for interest, it was the first clipping that came to me, even though it should have been way down the pile time wise.  I rang and made an appointment to see her that afternoon. When I called to her premises, she had incense burning and a tape recorder set up beside the chair where she was sitting. 
“What do you wish to see me about?” she asked.
“My brother is missing and I want to find him,” I said.
“How long is he missing and where was he last seen?” she asked. 
“He went missing in Africa about 2 weeks ago,” I said. 
“I have a feeling your brother is not in this world, I see your brother in the spirit world; Your brother is dead,” she said. 
“He has been murdered. There is a man with him in the spirit world, it is your father. He told me to tell you to be very careful as your life is in danger. There are three men with Dr. Shathani, Hillary, George and Uncle Jeremiah and two women Goretta and Eva. He is in fear of his life and they are after taking his wallet and demanding more money." 
“That’s all I have, that’s all I have,” Michael pleaded.
“I can get you more when I get back home to Ireland,” Michael said hopefully. 
“We want it now!” They demanded and struck him across the back of the head again. He can hear water and he saw the name of a town four letters, three of which were the letters ‘ala’”. 
“He said he 'hid a notebook with important information in the place he was staying'. He said, 'the notebook is very important, get the notebook!'”
       
Based on information from the Psychic, a policeman who wished to remain anonymous and later files received from Africa, I was able to get a picture of Michael’s last day. This is my summary of his last day before he was murdered:
        
Michael was lazing on a comfortable white leather sofa, his shoes off watching TV. He felt relaxed, halfway between awake and asleep. He knew it was just past nine pm, but it was already quite dark. He had watched the sun go down in a fiery red glow, from the third story balcony of the apartment his friend, Dr. Shathani had directed him to, it belonged he said to a friend, a tall slim blond Irish lady called Eva, she was connected to George O’Sullivan ,a real estate dealer from Pretoria. Michael noticed that Shathani had been more distant, colder in his manner, less inclined to chat, since he arrived in Africa. He put it down to nerves about his upcoming wedding. Michael’s mind drifted to another wedding, just a few weeks previously in Kentucky. What great fun that had been. His two brothers were there, Peter and Tom, his three nephews; Fanahan, the groom and his brothers , Michael and Tom along with Eddie Tobin, what a character! For an old boy he was as tough as an old boot. He had tried to drink him under the table, as he could drink whiskey like water.
“Eddy, have another one you’re inclined to be falling behind”, he recalled the banter as he poured another large whiskey for Eddy. Half an hour later Eddy would get hold of the whiskey bottle, "have another one yourself Mike, you don’t want it to go stale”.
“There is hardly any need to worry about that with the two us here”, he replied to Eddy’s hearty laughter. One night Eddy had so much whisky, he fell asleep on the couch. Mike went to bed and woke up to find Eddy climbing into his bed. “Ah Eddy, you better get into your own bed or we will be on the front page of the News of the World in the morning”.
“Sorry Mike, I can’t see very well”, replied Eddy, collapsing in a heap on the other bed. He was snoring before his head  touched the pillow.
            The wedding, that was special, there was the consternation about the wedding rings. Fanahan, the groom left the little red jewelry box, with his brother Michael, a half hour before the wedding car was due to collect them and take them to the church. His three year old grand nephew Michael Vincent, the best practical joker of his generation, sneaked into the best man’s room and replaced the wedding rings with two quarter dollars. He then placed the rings in an envelope and deposited them at the foot of the stairs. The heated argument that ensued between the two brothers about the contents of the box was a classic.
“Mike what have you done with the rings?” asked Fanahan. 
“Look, there are no rings you are mistaken, there are two silver coins!”
“Are they the coins for the wedding?" Asked Mike.
“No they are not the coins for the wedding, what have you done with the rings?” asked Fanahan. 
“I did not see any rings just the two coins!” said Mike. 
Mike was convinced Fanahan had given him the wrong box with the coins instead of the rings.
Fanahan was convinced Mike was playing a bizarre joke on him.  All the while the little culprit watched proceedings with an angelic smile. The rings were eventually found when an angry Mike came downstairs and kicked the envelope out of his way and the rings spilled out. To add to the feeling that things were going horribly wrong, a phone call arrived from cousin Don McConnell, that Tom and his wife Kitty had gone on an unexpected shopping trip to Cincinnati with Fanahan’s car and were still up there, one hundred miles away. There was no way Tom would be back to take the groom’s parents to the church. A guest rang looking for directions to the church in the middle of all this mayhem. To top it all, the bride’s pet dog was to travel in the car with uncle Tom and now ended up in the hotel owner’s limousine, where he proceeded to drool and shed white hairs all over her designer black dress. To say the groom had smoke coming out his ears, would be to mistake a full blown category five hurricane for a gentle summer breeze. The party at the ranch, wow that was one great night. The musicians were just out of this world, Jack Flynn the best flute player in the world, when he was in the mood he could make the hairs prickle on the back of your neck, he could make that concert flute talk. John Nyhan, a very good guitar player and a good voice as well. That lady playing the violin, she was a vituosa. Then there was the accordionist, yes another brilliant musician. To assemble them all in the one place at the same time, was just special.  What was that song again, oh yes, Blue moon of Kentucky, just brilliant.  He would love to hear that again. There are certain songs that stand out, yes like The Hills of Kerry. 
 The words were beautiful and the melody just made you want to cry, maybe if he sang, it would cheer himself up.    
                                                                                          
 Oh the palm trees wave on high,                                                                                                                    
 All along that fertile shore,
adieu you hills of Kerry,
I’ll never see you no more,
Oh why did I leave my home and why did I cross the sea,
And leave the small birds singing around you sweet Tralee.
The noble and the brave are departed from your shores,
They’ve gone , they’ve gone to fight the wars where the mighty cannons roar,
Will they ever again return, to see old Ireland free,
And hear the small birds singing around you sweet Tralee.
Oh the palm tres wave on high all along that fertile shore,
Adieu the hills of Kerry I’ll never see you no more,
Oh why did I leave my home, oh why did I cross the sea,
And leave the small birds singing around you sweet Tralee.
Will I ever see the shamrock that springs so fine and grand,
or  hear  the curlew flying high over lonely Banna strand,
As I stand on this foreign shore and think on what might have been,
Will I ever more return to see my home in sweet Tralee.
Oh the palm trees wave on high all along that fertile shore, 
 adieu the hills of Kerry I’ll never see you no more,
Oh why did I leave my home and why did I cross the sea,
And leave the small birds singing around you sweet Tralee.
No more I’ll see your sunbeams and that precious harvest moon,
Or hear the reaper singing in a field of golden corn.
Theres an end to every woe and a cure for every pain,
But the laughing eyes of my darling girl, I’ll never see again .
Oh the palm trees wave on high all along that fertile shore,
Adieu the hills of Kerry, I’ll never see you no more,
Oh why did I leave my home oh why did I cross the sea,
And leave the small birds singing around you sweet Tralee.
                    
          It was a powerful song, and it was really special when his friend Dan Connor sang it. Dan had a divine gift for singing, he could put so much emotion into a song, it made it all the more memorable. He loved visiting Kerry , with its clear blue Lakes of Killarney, its majestic dark mountains and its lush green valleys, its wonderful genuinely friendly people ,quaint old pubs with some great old storytellers enjoying a pint of Guinness, there was no place on earth quite like it. 
         Why was he thinking so much about home? It must be the contrast, Botswana as a country was nothing to get excited about, the countryside was a monotonous brown bore. This wedding was so far, a bit of a bore. Maybe he should not have come, he didn’t know anyone here, except Dr. Shathani and he was being distant. Maybe he should just forget this wedding and return home. The food here was like the landscape, quite boring, yesterday he had eaten bogobe, a type of porridge. Then he was offered matemehwane , a form of bread dumplings and magwinya, fat cakes. For lunch he had been given seswaa, a local popular meat dish. Luci had cooked dinner for him, it tasted different to anything he had eaten before. She told him the meat was ostrich , a local delicacy, served only on special occasions. Normally he could eat anything, but this food affected him in some strange way. He felt lighter, almost dizzy, maybe he had too much of that lovely red wine. What was it again,- Long Mountain, a chardonnay from the Western Cape in South Africa.  
         Yes he would get some to take back to his brother Tom in Ireland, he appreciated good wine. They had often shared a glass of wine together. Like last August when Kerry McGrath came to visit from Vancouver, they went to that wonderful restaurant in Cashel, Chez Hans - it was an old church converted into one of the best gourmet restaurants in the world. They had so much fun that night, their friend Tommy O’Gorman was not going to let anything go to waste on his plate. In fact all four diners had cleaned their plates. Everything about that night was special, gourmet food , delightful wine, great company and all four enjoyed a superb evening. He remembered the wine it was particularly good, Australian white, he must go back there again with his brother and friends. Kerry was a lovely person and she had enjoyed picking mushrooms, which grew in abundance, wild in the field beside the Knockagarry house every August.                                                        
        He started to think of another memorable journey, when he had been at his lowest ebb, his brother Tom had invited him to join himself and Tommy O’Gorman to the retirement party of Master Commander Bill Conklin of the US Navy. They flew to New York on the 26th of August 2004, Tom hired a car with GPS navigation, pressed the on button and off they went on a tour of Brooklyn, the Bronx and finally exhausted arrived in Manhattan. They stayed in a comfortable hotel, on eight avenue and thirty eight street, just a few blocks from Time Square. The following morning they walked into Time Square, it was amazing to be just standing there and seeing all these fantastic buildings ,they made their way around Rockefeller Centre, Radio City and especially to see the Empire State in reality. The sheer scale of the building cannot be imagined, it just leaves you with a feeling of wonder. He had great fun haggling with the salesman before buying a digital camera at one of the electronics stores and Tommy O’Gorman joined in and they got a further ten dollar discount by buying one each.  At twelve noon they decided it was time to set off for Virginia, about six hundred miles to the south, it would normally be about four hundred miles south but they did the much more scenic six hundred mile loop route. We set off with the gps satellite navigation telling us exactly where we were. We marveled at the sights as we passed Battery Park and the sad site of the Twin Towers and the biggest mass murder in the history of the United States. We were so involved with our surroundings that Tom missed the turn off for the Brooklyn tunnel and we ended up on the Brooklyn Bridge. The toll was $4 and we managed to take a wrong turn which brought us back straight back onto the Brooklyn Bridge from the other direction and paid another $4 to go back into Manhatten. We proceeded on past Battery Park for the second time and somehow managed to miss the correct lane for the tunnel and paid the now familiar $4 to cross over the Brooklyn Bridge.  This time we avoided the turn that brought us back into the city and took the fourth next exit.  We soon found ourselves in familiar terrain as we paid another $4 to cross over the Brooklyn Bridge on the way back into the city again.  We passed the now familiar landmark of Battery Park and this time we got in lane and into the tunnel , where we paid another $4 bringing our total to $20.00 and finally got onto the Hamilton Parkway, which took us up to the Verrazano Narrows Bridge. We paid another $4 and finally we were out of the New York City having contributed handsomely to the coffers of the toll companies. Without fail we missed the turning for the New Jersey Turnpike, which would have brought us on to Highway 95. Instead we ended up in a trucker’s yard, where we got intricate directions about getting onto Highway 95. After about the seventh turning we pulled into a restaurant ,to let ourselves get over this maze of roads and to figure out where to go next. We finally did what we should have done at the very beginning of our journey, read the instruction booklet that came with the gps. Carefully following the instructions we typed in the address we were looking for. Amazingly the gps came alive, as well as a map with arrows showing the correct roads, a lady gave step by step vocal directions. After about ten miles we christened her Molly and for the remainder of our journey we travelled in absolute calm , without a single wrong turning. Despite our three stooges exit from New York, we enjoyed the banter about our map reading and ability to spot road signs in time to get in the correct lane. We somehow always found ourselves at the opposite side of the road to the lane we needed to make a turn off. What fun it was to be travelling through New Jersey and Pennsylvania and seeing signs for places like Philadelphia, on into Delaware where we stopped for a nice meal . Then we crossed over into Maryland, Tom decided I should see Washington City, so he took the route  which brought us by the White House and the Pentagon. 
         I loved seeing all these famous places that I had only ever seen on television, it was like being reborn and seeing life for the first time. Not an endurance test of enviousness and jealousy, which my ex wife had smothered me with for twenty five years. Now here he was at his brothers invitation, a continent away from her manipulations, transported into a new world that he had missed out on all his life.  It was 11.00pm when we reached our destination, the home of our gracious hosts Bob and Kathleen.  After a wonderful warm welcome we retired to our rooms, I shared with my brother Tom, for the first time since 1978. He advised me to forget my troubles and enjoy the holiday. It had been difficult for me since the family had left their home in Knockagarry; I had been getting these strange silent calls at 3.00am which broke my sleep. Sometimes the silent calls would be broken with 'ha ha, ha ha!'
He said “Mike you are a very wealthy young man, there are about a billion eligible women in the world, search until you find your soul mate.”
“Search for someone who is kind and loving and has a generous heart, not someone who is narrow minded and controlling!” 
          We talked for about half an hour and I could see the wisdom of what he had to say and decided I would follow his advice. We were told that a navy escort would collect us at 8.00am, to take us to the Navy Base at Norfolk. After a good nights sleep, we were up refreshed at 7.00am, a quick shower was followed by delightful breakfast with Bob’s family. At ten minutes to eight, commander Tom Connolly of the US Navy nuclear physics school, arrived in an official navy jeep complete with motorcycle outriders. We were formally introduced to our escort, by Command Master Chief Robert T.Conklin and as special guests of the commander were saluted by our escort as we took our places in the navy jeep. As we sped south towards Norfolk, I wondered what kind of exciting life had my brother Tom been living all these years while I was listening to him being ridiculed and blackened by my crazy, vitriolic wife Margaret Lynch. This was an honour that nobody else in Ireland had ever been accorded and here I was, forgetting my troubles back home I was transported to another world. We arrived at the Navy base and went through the several security checks. This amazing place had it’s own motorway, restricted strictly to navy traffic until we finally pulled up beside a red carpet. I felt I was dreaming as a navy guard of honour piped us aboard, as we were escorted up the steps of the giant aircraft carrier the USS Harry S. Truman.                                                                                                                                            
          The next evening we went to a special ceremony at the navy officers quarters. Presentations were made to Bob, by old friends from the navy,  and by family and friends from his private life. My brother Tom, made a number of presentations, one was on behalf of the community back home in South Tipperary, another was on behalf of the genial Pat and Ann Casey from Casey’s bar in Ballyporeen. On behalf of himself, Kitty, Tommy O’Gorman and myself Michael McGrath, he presented  a set of  Waterford Crystal whiskey glasses in the design of a seahorse. To Bob’s wife he presented a Waterford Crystal ships whiskey decanter in the same design. He said “ it was a wife’s duty to always ensure that the decanter was always full of top quality Irish whiskey for an old sea captain, preferably Paddy Whiskey which is by far the best whiskey in the world”. 
That got a good laugh from all the old sea dogs present. It was wonderful to see so many Admirals and sea captains come and shake his hand after his speech and we got multiple invitations to visit homes all across the USA.  The following evening we had the most enjoyable party at the retired Commanders own home attended by many old navy friends with wonderful and hilarious tales of adventures at sea.
           Bob showed us his most prized possession, his late brother’s Purple Heart. Both myself and my brother Tom had our pictures taken, holding this most rare of military honours. I know that Tom felt as proud holding that Purple Heart of Bob Conklin’s brother; that he may as well have been presented with it by the President himself. I felt very honoured that Bob would allow me to hold this precious memory of his brother. It was just one more enthralling event in a week of uninterrupted joy with great new friends. The openness and generosity of their hosts, the Conklins would remain engraved in my memory forever.  It was an example of how to honour guests and he would try to replicate their generosity to anyone who ever came to visit him in the future. It was his first time meeting them but everything about them, left you feeling better about yourself at being there. The food was gourmet standard, I felt so good, sitting there amongst these wonderfully hospitable people.  I had not felt this good in a long time, there was another world out there that I had been unaware of all my life. It was super charged and whatever happened, I was never again going to spurn the close friendship and love of my brother for anyone. He had given me back my life and the strength to face down my adversaries. The following day Bob, himself took us on a guided tour of the navy base at Virginia Beech, all the sailors knew him on sight and it was obvious, the respect  and affection with which he was held.  He went inside the navy store and got us a collection of navy memorabilia. I loved the baseball cap with the USS Harry S. Truman, it was a reminder of the giant ship we had been on board and privileged to witness the official retirement ceremony of the top man in the US Navy.  The following day we left before 9.00am and began to make our way back towards New York.  Shortly after saying goodbye to our friend Robert T. Conklin and his family, we made our way towards Chesapeake Bay.  This took my breath away, as we drove seven miles out into the bay along this bridge. We stopped on the man made island just to soak it all in, it was awe inspiring. It nourished your soul just to stare at the magnificent surroundings as we enjoyed a cup of coffee and cake. Life could not get any better than this I thought as I soaked up the unique atmosphere of the place.  As we made our way back to New York, guided by ’Molly’, we found ourselves in a hundred mile traffic jam on highway 95. It was just one more memory of an eventful trip, everything was on a scale that I could never have imagined. 
           Yet when he arrived home, reality quickly struck in the form of Margaret Lynch, Mister O’Keeffe and his two thuggish sons John and Noel. She claimed she was just collecting her belongings. She knew he was away for the week and could have taken anything she wished. There was another more sinister motive, the threats and the insults from the O’Keeffes were well rehearsed, they wanted him to react so that they could have an excuse to beat him up. The explicit threat from John O’Keeffe, “that he should watch his back”, was designed to intimidate him. The insult “that he should keep taking his tablets”, was an attempt to goad him. But mentally he was stronger now, his week in the USA had energised and enlightened him. He would not stoop to the level of these small minded people, he just wanted to be rid of any involvement with them.                                                                                         
            Suddenly, his flood of happy memories was interrupted, he became aware of voices in the adjoining room. One was that of his ‘friend’ Dr. Shathani, who at that time was supposed to be in Moroka, some eighty kilometers away. The other voice was that of Lynch’s nephew,  but that was impossible, what was he doing here? He had just been thinking about those ugly people! Maybe he was just dreaming.

Chapter 3 A List Of Questions

As I sat in the sitting room, thoughts struggled to find their way to the surface. After five minutes I wrote down:
(1) Shathani looked for and got money to pay for the wedding. 
(2) I also remembered the sixteenth of September when I had been travelling with Mike and our friend Tommy O’Gorman, in England.  Mike had received a call, from Shathani, just before we left Cork airport looking for a thousand euros. He claimed to Mike that ‘he was in Botswana and he needed the money to pay a ‘dowry’ to the brides family’. This ‘dowry’ , he said , “was to purchase two camels and a cow for the brides family, otherwise the family would give the bride to ‘anyone who paid the dowry’,” he said.  Michael confirmed to me that he had transferred the money to Shathani’s bank account at UCC on the twentieth of September 2006. 
(3) Meanwhile Kitty used her knowledge as a librarian to do research on the internet. She managed to get the telephone number of the car hire people in Johannesburg, she spoke with Oovi and Violet on the desk who handled Michael’s car hire. She confirmed that Dr. Shathani did not pay Michael McGrath’s car hire as it had been pre-paid in Ireland. She spoke with Charlene who arranged to have Michael’s hire car brought back from Palapye. She spoke with Ken who towed the car back from Palapye and who confirmed that there was no damage to the car. 
This confirmed that we had been deliberately lied to when Anne-Marie was told that “Michael had been killed in a car accident, drink related.”
(4) She tracked down the police station at Palapye and spoke with assistant superintendent Ngwato, who told her “I don’t have any details, Dr. Shathani has all the details, this is his telephone number 087-0000000.” He was clearly taken by surprise that someone from Ireland was on the telephone asking questions and he had no answers, he very quickly shifted the task of answering them to Dr. Shathani Mugoma. 
Then there was the evidence on Mike’s phone that Patricia had found, this confirmed that he had transferred several thousand euros to Shathani in late November.
(5) Then I recalled Mike telling me he had rented an apartment in Limerick for Dr. Shathani, so that he could do his intern training at Limerick hospital. This prepaid apartment was a gift to his ‘friend’, Dr. Shathani.   
(6) Shathani had claimed to Michael that his father had died of cancer in 2003 
(7) That he, Shathani also had cancer. He got to stay rent free in one of Michael’s houses in Bishopstown. He also got Michael to drive him to Cork University Hospital, where he claimed he was receiving treatment for ‘cancer’! In fact, he was attending practical classes at the hospital as part of his medical degree course at UCC.
(8) Michael knew I had discussed travelling to Australia for many years with my cousin from Sydney, Ned O’Donnell.  Ned lived in a beautiful apartment in Elizabeth Bay overlooking Sydney Harbour. He said we would have to visit Ned and go on a tour of the wineries in Napa Valley.  He especially wanted to visit the winery of The Rosemount Estate with their oak matured wines.  He was really looking forward to meeting Ned and visiting the Sydney Opera House where Ned was known to the staff.  He was also interested in visiting Brisbane to track our cousins the Fitzgibbons. Our grand uncle Dan Fitzgibbon; the well known harness maker of Killenaule, Co. Tipperary, had told us that one of the Fitzgibbons had lived in Brisbane about 1895.  His two daughters had come on a short visit to Ireland in 1911 and the family had not been heard from since. Dan had asked us to try and find their descendants and Michael was anxious that we should do so.  He said “not to worry about the money as he would soon be free of Margaret Lynch and would pay for the trip for us as a celebration”!  I had told him “I expect my property agreement with Donie Buckley would soon be complete and I will have plenty funds to pay for myself”.
(9) I sat there thinking for another half hour. I felt drained, it was so apparent that Michael had been the victim of something too terrible to believe it was real. I was tired ,exhausted and emotionally drained, so at 2300 hours I went to bed and fell into a  listless sleep.  I awoke before dawn,  I just  lay there thinking but couldn’t make sense of it all. This Shathani fellow was bumming money from Mike over a period of time, there was two define occasions that we had evidence of, there was also the apartment in Limerick that Mike rented and paid for Shathani, when he began his internship at Limerick Regional Hospital, there were surely others. Why would he want to kill someone who was so generous and gave him large sums of money, whenever he requested them? There was something about this nightmare that I was missing. I got up and started writing notes to myself. 

1.	Michael separated from his wife and family in May 2004, when without warning, they upped and left after one contrived row early one morning.  Michael had noticed they took very little clothes with them, when he checked, all their clothes were gone, secreted out during the previous week, without he suspecting a thing. It was all well planned.
2.	Shortly after they leaving, Michael got a second shock when his family doctor arrived accompanied by a Mitchelstown Garda. Statements had been made, by Michael O’Keeffe and his ‘daughter’ Marie, that Michael was mentally unstable and a danger to himself and the public.                 This was proved to be groundless and false. Evidence of more detailed planning.
3.	During a family law court case taken against him by Margaret Lynch, she accused him of being abusive to her and the children. This too was proved to be false by Judge Michael Patwell, when he put a series of questions to Michael’s ex-wife.
4.	At a hearing just before the bank holiday of May 2006, someone had schooled her youngest child Lelia, to make a claim that Michael had been sexually abusing her. This was proved to be false beyond any shadow of doubt by the Child Protection Agency. The coaching of an innocent child. The timing coming up to a long weekend! Accidental? Evidence of more careful planning and as I later discovered the active collaboration of the local police superintendent Flor Horan.
5.	Michael had offered Margaret Lynch a divorce settlement of two million euros in August 2006. She turned it down flat. She said she was entitled to everything. His property was worth conservatively four million euros.
6.	Michael had a pretty girlfriend Patricia Ryan who was clearly in love with him.  She spent most weekends with him. He was very happy.
7.	He had lots of money and property, his weekly income was four thousand euros. He always carried seven thousand euros cash on him. 
8.	He laughed at the 350,000 euros total,  that remained to be paid off on all his properties. He said he could clear it in the morning by selling just one of his nine house properties.
9.	He loved travelling, we were in the USA together at the end of October. He spent two weeks partying with his cousins and friends.
10.	He was in England in September with myself and Tommy O’Gorman.
11.	We had cousins visiting from Vancouver in August, he had great fun entertaining them.  We planned to visit them there in 2007. He was looking forward to seeing Canada and visiting all the magical places I had spoken of.
12.	He was also interested in looking at property in the US with myself and Tommy O’Gorman.
13.	Did Shathani get married on the 15th as he had lured Mike out there for this three day wedding?
14.	What funds have been added to his account?
15.	What contacts did he have with Margaret Lynch and her daughter Marie before and after Michael’s death?
16.	What telephones does Shathani have available for his use?
17.	What telephones does Margaret Lynch and daughter Marie have available?
18.	Michaels family analysis:                                                                                                                            
(a) Brid, - a degree in international law, yet working as a hospital attendant? Age 28                                                                                                                            (b) Marie, a pharmacist and an okeeffelynchette , very dangerous? Age 26        
(c) Michael, an engineering technician, a clone of his mother! Age 24                                                 
(d) Diarmuid, an auctioneering student? Maybe innocent, maybe not? Age 21                                                         
(e) Lelia, a total innocent, I fear for her safety with this lot? Age 17
19.	 Michael O’Keeffe of Island , Carrignavar,- a dangerous megalomaniac, full of hatred and greed,-Margaret Lynch’s boyfriend? ,  fairly rich to boot?                                                                                                   
(a) His son John , at least as bad as his father, an okeeffelynchet with violent tendencies.                                                                                                                                                 (b) His son Noel , goes along with everything the other two come up with unquestioningly? Dangerous as a zombie. 
20.	Michael had signed and lodged papers , to get a complete and final  separation from Margaret Lynch.
21.	His family knowingly lied to us from the beginning, by telling us he was killed in a car accident, drink related!
22.	Michael McGrath was not suicidal, his GP, Michael Herlihy  confirmed this opinion.
23.	Everything is centred around Dr Shathani, the money, the evidence, the reports.
24.	Superintendant Ngwato immediately shifted the problem of explaining Michael’s death to Dr Shathani and was unable to answer a single question. 

Chapter 4 The Garda Superintendent

Questions for Superintendent Horan/Ambassador Sheridan
.
Everything is centered around Dr. Shathani, the money, the evidence, the reports. There was one thing very evident about my brother Michael to those who knew him and that was his kindness.  I remember him coming into the sitting room at my home and sitting on the couch. Our little dog, Kiara who is a good judge of character made a bounding jump and landed straight onto his lap.  Michael had an expensive fawn pants and navy jacket, I was angry with Kiara because her hairs would be all over Michael’s clothes.
“Kiara, get out now you bold dog,” I commanded. 
“Leave her alone, she’s a lovely little creature,” said Mike. 
“She will destroy your clothes,” I said. 
“Don’t worry about small things like that, I like this friendly little dog,” he said, as he stroked her. She looked up at him with two adoring brown eyes and he had added another new friend for life. Whenever he came to dinner with us he always brought a chicken or a duck and a bottle of fine wine.  He never came empty handed. He knew I was going through difficult times and he often offered to help. When I was having difficulty getting the money to attend my nephew’s wedding in Lexington he offered to give me the funds I needed so that Kitty and I could go. I did not want to be a parasite to my brother and just three weeks before the wedding a windfall cheque for seventeen hundred euros arrived that covered our travels to the wedding. Michael was a tough business man but beneath it, was a very kind human being. Even the goldfish in the sitting room used to get an extra pinch of food when he came to visit. Goldie the oldest of the fish used to come over to the side of the aquarium when she saw him in the room and start swimming swiftly back and forth until Michael gave her food. 
Michael loved observing Goldie and said to me “that little creature actually knows me, she is really intelligent.” 
“That’s because you always feed her,” I said. 

       On the 27th of December, Kitty rang Fermoy Garda station and asked for an appointment for Peter and myself to see superintendent Horan to discuss Michael’s suspicious death. So at 3.20pm on Thursday the 28th December 2006, we were escorted by a young Garda to Horan’s top floor office. The view was beautiful, overlooking the famous salmon fishing river, the Blackwater. Horan rose from his seat and shook hands with us both.
“I am very sorry at the death of your brother under these circumstances”, he said as he sat back into his comfortable swivel chair.
“What can I do for you gentlemen?” he asked. 
“I am certain that my brother Michael was murdered,” I said.
“His family informed us on the 15th December that he had been killed in a car accident, drink related and on the 26th December I find out that he was supposed to have committed suicide. He did commit suicide, beyond any shadow of doubt,” said Horan.
“We have statements from police in Botswana that prove it was suicide,” he stated pompously.
It was significant that superintendent Flor Horan was not the slightest bit concerned that Michael’s family had falsely given us the lie that Michael ‘had been killed in a car accident, drink related’?
“Statements from the police out there are not worth a piece of toilet paper,” I said “they are totally corrupt.” 
“What do you want me to do?” asked Horan. 
“We want a proper post mortem carried out here when he returns and we want a coroners court inquiry into his death,” I said. 
“You are not Michael’s next of kin, only his wife Margaret can ask for an inquiry. Margaret is his next of kin,” said Horan with a sneer!
“She is his ex-wife and is the beneficiary of his unexpected death, it could not have come at a more convenient time for her,” I said.
“We are his concerned brothers, we wish to have an inquiry into his death,” said Peter. 
“Do you know there is a file on your brother here in the Garda station?” asked Horan. 
“No”, I said, “I am not aware of any reason why you should keep a file on my brother Michael.”
“Yes, there is a file on him on a very serious matter!” stated Horan.
“What is this file about?” I asked. 
“Oh, that’s confidential police business, I cannot reveal those details to you”, said Horan with emphasis. 
“Are you referring to the child abuse charges that were levelled at him by Margaret Lynch?” I asked. 
“Yes that’s the file and the allegation was not made by his wife Margaret but came up in our dealing with another matter,” said Horan. 
“Michael did not abuse his daughter Lelia,” said Peter. “He swore he never laid a hand on her, he loved that little child deeply, he took her everywhere and helped her to walk when her mother would do nothing for her.” 
“The case was investigated thoroughly by us and the file remains open,” said Horan.  
“He was cleared by the Director of Public Prosecutions of having any case to answer,” Peter said. 
“It wasn’t proceeded with due to a technicality, which is a very different thing, he was not exonerated of wrong doing and the file remains open,” said Horan. 
“Lilia was coached and her mother has a history of coaching her children to say terrible things,” I said. 
“She was interviewed by an experienced psychologist and the file remains open, your brother committed suicide and we have no reason to believe otherwise,” said Horan. 
“Michael did not commit suicide,” said Peter.    
“Michael was not a paedophile and he did not commit suicide,” I said. 
“I know it is a difficult time for the family and I sympathise with you at this difficult time, suicide is always difficult to accept, but both the police in Botswana and here are in no doubt but that it was suicide,” said Superintendent Flor Horan. 
“What can we do, is there any way we can get an autopsy on his body when he comes back?” I asked.
“His solicitor can request an autopsy if he believes there is sufficient doubts about the manner of his death,” said Horan.
“We don’t even know who his solicitor is and everywhere is closed until the 3rd of January 2007, he could be buried before we can find his solicitor,” I said. 
“I know it is a difficult time for you and I sympathise with you but in time you will get used to it,” said Horan. 
“Is there anything you can do for us,” I asked.
“I will give you the phone number for Sergeant Tony O’Sullivan in Mitchelstown, he is in charge of the case and he will be glad to help you in any way he can.” 
“Here is his mobile number 087-0000000”, said Horan handing me a slip of paper with the number on it.

           We left Superintendent Flor Horan with a very queasy feeling that we had been mugged. The unwarranted accusation that Horan had associated with Michael’s suspicious death was very troubling.  And in light of evidence I was to uncover on the 11th June 2007 it has very serious implications.
“The case gets more difficult,” I said to Peter as we drove home.
“Now we have to prove that he wasn’t a paedophile, as well as prove that he did not commit suicide.” 
“I am certain he was not a paedophile, he really loved that little child and would never do anything to harm her,” Peter said.
When we relayed the details of our visit to superintendent Flor Horan to our families, they were very angry.
“I will contact the department of Foreign Affairs, there must be something they can do” said Kitty. She went on the internet and got some details and phone numbers. She rang foreign affairs and was eventually put through to a very helpful young man in Hainault House on St. Stephens Green.  He gave her the telephone number and the email for the Irish ambassador in Maputo, Mozambique who also covered the Botswana area. 
So I rang Frank Sheridan the ambassador,
“I am deeply concerned about the death of my brother in Botswana, I believe he was murdered,” I said.
“Could you put your reasons in a letter and email them to me and I will make some inquiries on your behalf,” said Frank Sheridan. 
  
On the 29th December, 2006 at 15.57 I sent the following email to Sheridan Frank AMB Maputo Embassy. 
Subject: Death of Michael McGrath

Dear Mr. Ambassador,

             We wish to have a full investigation into the death of our brother, 
Michael Marian McGrath of Hillcrest, Knockagarry, Mitchelstown, Co.Cork, Ireland on the 13th December in Palapye, Botswana. Michael had been acquainted with Dr. Shathani (intern at the Regional Hospital, Limerick). For years,  Dr. Shathani had been staying in one of Michael’s flats in Cork in his student days.  He claimed his father died of cancer a few years ago.  He also claimed that he himself had cancer and had successfully battled the cancer.  Michael had subsidised him with free rent in Cork.  When he moved to Limerick, Michael pre-paid his rent in advance for him. He stayed in Michael’s home on the 17/18th November and had free access to his house and contents for hours while Michael was away doing work.  When he was leaving on the 19th, he asked Michael to drive him to Cork not Limerick his place of work.  Dr. Shathani had tried to convince Michael to look at buying property and developing apartments in Palapye.  Michael regarded Dr. Shathani uncritically as a good friend.
          On the 17th September Michael was at a race meeting in the UK with his brother Thomas McGrath and his friend Tom O’Gorman. He received an urgent request from Dr. Shathani for 1000 euros, to buy a dowry for his proposed bride’s family in Botswana. Michael was very excited about the supposed wedding on the 15th December.
          On the 22/26th November a text message from Dr. Shathani to Michael’s mobile (which unawares to him remained in Ireland), demanded 4000 euros to pay for the ‘wedding’.
Michael flew 6th December Dublin-Paris-Johannesburg. Shandon Travel received a call from Michael on the 9th December that his car hire had not materialised.  He gave a mobile number of a ‘friend’ who was with him at Johannesburg airport (no name), mobile number 082-74689017. Michael dealt with National Car Rentals (Voilet) telephone number 0027-115701950.  He got a Nissan Almera car registration number  JMJ615TP.  The car was towed back from Palapye on the 18th December. National Car Hire roadside assistance,  Ken and Charlene. Michael was the only named driver. No damage to the car. We want to know Michael’s movements from the 7th December to the 13th the time of his death?
Who he was with?
Where he stayed?
Who is Dr. Shathani?
Was there a three day wedding?
All accounts of Michael’s alleged suicide were channeled through Dr. Shathani, who appears to be the chief witness. In view of the fact that he was soliciting large sums of money from Michael, his evidence is unreliable.
Michael was a wealthy man, he at all times had a wallet attached to his waist.  This wallet always contained a minimum of 6000 euros.  I can have this verified by all his friends, his brothers, his nephews.                                                                                                                              
What items were listed as his personal effects?
Michael had gone through an acrimonious separation in the courts and had decided  on a final legal separation on his return from Botswana.  The ex-wife Margaret Lynch McGrath  and family, were friendly with Dr. Shathani before Michael was.  Michael was a wealthy man in life and wealthier in death (insurance policies).
His ex-wife and family stood to lose all this if their separation was legalised on his return from Botswana.
Michael’s personal doctor – Dr. Michael Herlihy is strongly of the opinion that Michael was not suicidal.  He had all to live for, he was in a new relationship.
He had plans for lots of travel in 2007.
Michael jumping from a moving car is indicative of the fact that he believed his life was in grave danger.  His method of committing suicide would be alien to the Irish psyche.  Was he tested for having been drugged?  We are not satisfied with the account of his death that we have received nor the credibility of the chief witness Dr. Shahtani.  We can provide the evidence from his phone ref. Dr. Shathani’s demand for money. We can also provide details of the banks Michael dealt with before he left Ireland.
We have reason to believe there were two men in the company of Dr. Shathani with two women in the background. We suspect that the events leading to Michael’s death took place in a house before he was taken to hospital.
Was Michael’s body tested for drugs at the autopsy?
What drug tests were carried out?
What level of expertise,  have they in Botswana?
Were the injuries Michael had on presenting at hospital the result of violence or falling from  a moving car?
Was Dr. Shathani the only witness?

                          Signed:   Thomas McGrath
                     
                                           Peter McGrath.

N/B We intend to send a private detective to the area to investigate Michael’s death in full and we will be requesting diplomatic assistance in this matter.

On the 1st January 2007, I received the following reply to the above email:

Dear Mr. McGrath,
Thank you for your email.

I have now spoken at length by telephone to Assistant Superintendent Ngwato, the officer who investigated the death of your brother, Michael. He outlined the circumstances as follows and is agreeable to me passing this information to you and your brother.
He became aware of the case when Dr. Shathani Mugoma and his fiancé, Ms. Goreta Gobotseng, appeared on the afternoon of Tuesday, 12th December, at the police station in Palapye, a border town on the South African frontier and situated between Francistown and the capital, Gaborone. They reported that your brother, Michael, had been injured when he threw himself from a hired car and had been brought by passing prison personnel to Palapye Primary Hospital.
       Dr. Shathani explained that he was a friend of your brother, had been living during his medical studies in a property (an apartment) owned by your brother, that they had become friends during this period and that your brother had been invited to Botswana to attend Shathani’s wedding. Shathani has now finished his studies, works in a hospital in Limerick but continues to live in the property.
Again according to Shathani, while the three were travelling in a hired car driven by your brother from Francistown to Gaborone, your brother began to outline serious personal problems relating in the main to his marital separation and serious issues arising from it. He became so distraught that they asked him to stop the car, which he did, and to sit in the back. After he had calmed down, they resumed the journey with Ms. Gobotseng driving.  A few kilometres past Palapye, on the road to Gaborone, according to both Dr. Shathani and his fiancé, your brother, suddenly and without warning, opened the rear door and threw himself from the moving vehicle.
Your brother suffered a number of non-life-threatening injuries and was bleeding profusely.  He refused to get into the hired car to go to hospital because, he stated, he would stain the seat with blood.  At around that time a prison vehicle stopped to enquire, what had happened and the prison personnel offered to bring Michael to Palapye Hospital. They went directly to the hospital and Dr. Shathani and Ms. Gobotseng went to the police station in Palapye to report the accident and to report that, in their view, Michael was suicidal.
A police officer was despatched to the hospital to watch over him. According to Assistant Superintendent Ngwato, Dr Shatani and his fiancé left Palapye shortly afterwards that same afternoon. As mentioned to you yesterday, the information from our Honorary Consul in Gaborone was that Dr. Shathani had been travelling to Gaborone to make purchases for his wedding and was obliged, because of the advanced state of the arrangements, to continue to Gaborone. Your brother was treated at the hospital. According to a note from the Foreign Ministry he had received injuries to his elbow and head.
       Assistant Superintendent Ngwato reports that in the early hours of the next morning, Wednesday,13th December, your brother went into a toilet beside his room. There were renovation works going on in the hospital and some windows were being replaced with louvered glass. Your brother took a length of this glass, which was apparently under a washbasin, broke it and used the broken piece to inflict a serious injury to the right side of his neck.  Around this time it was noticed that he was missing and a search was underway.  The Assistant Superintendent himself verifies this because he was on duty and called the hospital at that time to check on your brother’s condition.  It was discovered that Michael was locked in a toilet, which was quickly opened with a coin. Your brother was found dead inside in a pool of blood.
The police took photos of the scene and a post mortem was ordered.  That post mortem has been carried out and we will be copied with the report when available.
         With the agreement of your brother’s widow, his personal affects have been given to and signed for by Dr. Shathani, who has since returned to Ireland. They include his luggage and other personal effects and the following cash;- 2,057 Pula (the Botswana currency, roughly exchangeable at 10 to the Euro);327 South African Rand(50euros) and 372.15 Euros. (Total value 630 Euros).
       Assistant Superintendent Ngwato will await the post mortem report before coming to a final conclusion on the cause of death but there is little doubt in his mind that Michael McGrath committed suicide and, at this stage, on the basis of the evidence available, the Assistant Superintendent sees no need for further investigation. 
      The information given to me by the investigating officer is broadly similar to that obtained yesterday from our Honorary Consul in Gaborone, Mr Barney O’Reilly and reported to you in the telephone conversation you refer to below. The Honorary Consul’s own assessment on the basis of the information supplied by various sources is that it is difficult to sustain any contention of foul play.
      On the removal of your brother’s remains, we are all concentrating of trying to get flights. The Embassy can confirm that all flights from Johannesburg are fully booked at this time – it is high summer holiday time in this region at the moment.  However, the manager of the funeral home in Gaborone is on her way to the airport to see the manager of Air Botswana to try to broker a breakthrough.  I will call her again this afternoon and will report any update to O’Brien’s Funeral Home in Mitchelstown for passing to all family members.
 A last point, I will be away from the office from Friday mid day. Until then I will be glad to assist in any further queries.  Thereafter, the case will be handled at the Embassy, by Ms Wendy Dorman-Smith, Second Secretary. Her email is  wendy.dorman-smith@dfa.ie  The duty mobile phone on which she can be reached is 258-823091430.
        I hope the above is of assistance to your brother and you in coming to terms with your grievous loss on which you have my deepest sympathy.
  Sincerely,
    Frank Sheridan 
Ambassador,   Embassy of Ireland.

                       

Having read and reread this message from the Irish Ambassador, it was hard to believe that any rational man would believe this fable. That the Honorary Consul, Mr Barney O’Reilly was giving this ‘cock and bull’ story his full backing showed what a waste he was representing the Irish people in Botswana. I underlined all the ‘at that time’, amazing coincidences; a prison vehicle stopped, renovation works at the hospital with the convenient louvered glass, around this time it was noticed that he was missing and a search was underway, Ngwato verifies this  (Michael missing) because he called the hospital at that time. 
       I was expecting to read ‘once upon a time’ somewhere in the missive. But no, I was expected to swallow this large lie and dismiss the glaring absurdities that jumped out from every line. There were many questions unanswered and this message, which was supposed to allay my suspicions of wrong doing, only confirmed that they were well founded. 
       So I rang the Ambassador on the morning of 2nd January 2007. I said I wanted an explanation as to why Michael did not get his car hire until Shathani arrived on the 9th December? The ambassador explained that Shathani had told the police “that the reason Michael did not get his hire car was, ‘he did not have the money to pay for it’ and that he (Shathani) had to pay the car hire.” 
I asked the ambassador “how did Shathani know where Michael’s ex-wife Margaret Lynch lived?” 
The Ambassador replied he had raised this question with Ngwato and he said “that Shathani did not know where Michael’s ex-wife Margaret lived, as he had only met her once briefly, but that he believed she lived in the Mitchelstown area.”
I knew both these statements by Shathani were lies so I sent an email to Frank Sheridan on the 2nd January 2007 at 19:12:

Dear Mr Ambassador,

              Further to our conversation of this morning 2nd January 2007, could you please forward the details leading up to Michael’s death, There is so much to take in that I need this in writing so that I can analyse what you told me. I am very interested in the details Dr Shathani supplied the police reference his knowledge of Michael’s next-of-kin and where he believed they lived.

 I am very interested in the details the police supplied you regards the car hire for Michael at Johannesburg Airport.  I request these details to my email address as soon as possible.  

Thank you for your kindness and help so far.  I believe we will very soon arrive at the truth of Michael’s death and we can lay him to rest in peace.
Sincerely,
          Tom McGrath.
     
On Tuesday, 3rd January 2007 I travelled to Portlaoise to meet the Psychic, Christine Holohan for a second time. Christine was the unseen witness in the Jacqui Poole murder case. Patricia Ryan, Michael’s friend travelled with me. I had spoken to Christine on Monday and asked to see her as soon as possible. She had kindly agreed to see me at 2.00pm. We arrived in Portlaoise at 1.00pm, the car park was full so we went across the road and parked half way down. We then went to the coffee house and had a cup of coffee and a cake. At 1.55pm we made our way to Christine’s place, which was up a winding stairs, on the third floor of an old building just off the square. There was someone with Christine and it was 2.05 when the young woman left and she brought us into an inner room to talk. The inner room was small, just room for a table and three chairs. 
Christine put a new tape into her recorder, on the cover of the box was the name Christine Holohan, Claivoyant Medium and her telephone number.
“I will give you this tape when we are finished she said.” “There are two things I must tell you, I am certain that your brother was not a paedophile and I am certain that he did not commit suicide.I get a very different feeling when someone commits suicide. There are two spirits here, your brother’s spirit is here and your Father’s spirit is here also; he has repeated a message for you , that your life is in danger also, he wants you to take special care at all times.”
“Your brother wants you to know two things, he is not a paedophile and he did not commit suicide.”
“Did he smoke heavily, your brother?” she asked.
“No, he did not smoke at all,” I replied.
“I can see lots of smoke around him; someone was with him, a heavy smoker, lighting one cigarette off another. I sense lots of gambling, lots of gambling around this doctor he was connected with. This doctor is very clever, very plausible. To talk to, I sense he was very, very clever. There is something that isn’t right. Check into his background, he seems to leave a trail.  I feel your brother found out what he was really like, his true personality. I sense something not right."
"There are 3 men and 2 women present, he found out the identity of them, found out something else. If there was a wedding, there wasn’t much of a wedding. I don’t sense a wedding. He was already married. When I awoke this morning I heard someone saying, 'but he already has a wife'. 
I sense he was already married.  He was always evasive. If you knew him for seven years, you still did not know him. No matter how long you knew him, you didn’t know him."
"At some stage he went to the United States, there is some connection to America. It’s like he was two people. He must have another identity.
Your brother came across as a very, very private person.  He was really private. Shathani must be a very accomplished con artist to gain your brother’s confidence. There is definitely a connection between Shathani and her, Michael’s ex wife."
"I feel all this was planned six or seven months, going back to June. Something happened then. He said that something definite happened then. Your brother is very angry, about two things. He wants his name cleared; he is not a paedophile and he did not commit suicide.  He said he never laid a hand on his daughter. He looked after her. He looked after his family; he spent much more money on his family than himself.  Money was not important to him in that way.  He was paying for a young person through college. He looked after his family."
"His anxiety started at the airport, he was frustrated by the delay. The first night he was to go to a certain hotel and he was taken somewhere else. 
I feel very strongly he was attacked.  He wanted to go one direction.  He was supposed to be going in one direction and they were going somewhere else. I see them dragging him to a car. I can feel panic, his head is down. He is in a car travelling very fast. I sense it was a poorer area on the outskirts of the town. Was the doctor a white South African? There are definitely two white men there. There’s quite a few people involved.  Did his wife travel to South Africa?"
"There was someone there from her family. I can feel a struggle; he was in the back seat of a car, in the middle, I can feel someone holding him by this arm and by this arm. He is trying to get away. They are very strong. He fell and hit his head here.  He broke free and forced open the door, that was when he injured his head. He wanted to get away; they were determined to carry him somewhere. He fell and hit his head, here. He is lying on a bed, there are five people around him. He said" a struggle did occur", he tried to use a knife in self defense. I can feel pressure. There is a small compact area, like a shower.  The police were not called at all."
"I keep thinking Catherine Nevin. Margaret Lynch had a row with him about a car and about money. There is something going on between him (Shathani) and her (Margaret Lynch). Something is not right; you don’t kill the ‘Golden Goose that lays the Golden Egg’.  There is definitely a connection there between him and her.  She was giving him a big ‘payoff’.  I feel this was going on for 6 or 7 months. The planning started back in June.  See what was going on around then. He is very, very cross! He said he had done nothing wrong. He done nothing wrong. He never laid a hand on his daughter. He doesn’t want his name dishonoured.  He doesn’t want his memory dishonoured."
"Where is his body now?" she asked
“His body is still in Botswana, the ambassador said his body will be returned on Monday or Tuesday.” I replied.
“You have to act now he said, you must ask for an autopsy, there must be an inquiry,” said Christine. “Go back to the TD and ask for an autopsy. He was not a paedophile and he did not commit suicide. Get hold of somebody. Was he ever threatened by his wife?"
“Yes,” I replied, “when we returned from Virginia in August 2004, she returned to the house with Michael O’Keeffe and his two sons, they threatened him then.”
“He said you must get an inquiry, he doesn’t want his name dishonoured; you must act now. He made a small investment in England, he wants you to use it. He said he did not commit suicide.”
“No matter how much money he offered her(Margaret Lynch) she wanted more! He said, she sold her soul to the devil and he said again he did not commit suicide. What’s your solicitor like?”
“I can’t get hold of anybody, everyplace is closed,” I replied.
“You must find some way of getting an autopsy when he gets back. No matter who you are, if there are suspicions about someone’s death, you are entitled to an inquiry. Get back to your TD. Tell him you are not satisfied with superintendent Horan and that you are making a complaint to the Minister for Justice about it. I feel strange, it didn’t feel that his death was suicide: he definitely did not commit suicide.
Did all his belongings come back?”
“Yes, the police said all his possessions were returned by Dr. Shahtani to his (ex) wife Margaret Lynch McGrath,” I replied.
“She has everything covered so,” said Christine.
“Every last detail was meticulously planned; the timing, just before Christmas, in Botswana, it was the perfect time to ensure no one could do anything,” I replied.
“This woman makes Catherine Nevin look like a nun,” said Christine.
“There are two things he keeps repeating, he did not harm his daughter and he did not commit suicide,” said Christine. 
“There is something funny about superintendent Horan; they are all connected. You cannot dismiss these well founded suspicions, no matter what the circumstances, you must investigate. That policeman Horan, there is a connection with her (Margaret Lynch McGrath). I am very surprised by the reaction of this Garda, they are all connected.” 
He (Michael) said "they are all involved in what went before; you must insist on this case being investigated.”
“Contact your TD (Member of Parliament), tell him this is not acceptable, tell him they are all involved, there are payments being made, backhanders. Don’t let this lie; this is not acceptable. This is terrible."
“He is gone over in very tragic circumstances; he is still in shock on the other side (the spirit world). You are the closest person to your brother and your feelings are right. He will guide you to the answers. Nothing about this case is right; he was totally set up.”
“I promise I will do everything I possibly can to clear my brother’s name, however long it takes,” then Christine handed me the tape. In all we had been with her for two hours and she was exhausted from looking through the eyes of my poor dead brother. I asked her how much did I owe her for her time. 
“No, I do not take any money for helping people, I have had this gift of communicating with the spirit world since I was a child; I use it to help people not to make money. You have a very difficult time ahead of you, but you will get justice for Michael. I am certain of that.” 
         As we left I knew she had been in contact with Michael’s spirit, because she had described him perfectly; he was a very private person. Also, I had felt he was murdered the first time I heard he was dead; ‘killed in a car accident’. Instinctively, I knew Michael was not ready to die. I knew he would be very angry at the way his name was being besmirched by certain people.  As time went on, I was to get to know the names of all of them. I was also to learn that Christine’s insistence that the planning of Michael’s murder began in June was totally accurate. Events prior to this had not gone the way of the conspirators; despite their devious and detailed planning, despite the assistance of corrupt senior Gardai. Time was running out for them if they were to get hold of his property. A final solution had to be arrived at; there is no more final solution than, murder.
 
On the 4th January 2007 at 14.29, I received the following ‘helpful’ email from the ambassador:

Dear Mr. McGrath,
Thank you for the email.

On the two questions you put to me, the information in both cases is second-hand, arising from the conversations between Dr. Shathani and another party (Ngwato) and much later relayed to me following your contact with me last week.  I understand that the Gardai in Mitchelstown, at your request, have taken an interest in establishing the facts of the case. I would assume they could be asked to contact Dr. Shathani, who is now at Limerick Regional Hospital, to establish these facts directly and on the record. What I can say to you factually is that, at the time of your brother’s death, no one in Botswana was able to supply information on the address or whereabouts of his immediate next-of-kin, his widow, Margaret McGrath.  Using the address on Michael’s driving licence,- Hillcrest, Knockagarry, Mitchelstown. We contacted the Department of Foreign Affairs, which in turn contacted the Gardai (police) in Mitchelstown. The Gardai knew both your brother and his widow and her current address. And it was a policeman from that station which conveyed the news to her of Michael’s death.

I hope this is of help.
Sincerely,
Frank Sheridan

In the above email, Frank Sheridan directly contradicts what he had told me in a telephone conversation on the morning of 2nd January, just two days previously. In which he told me and I quote “Shathani did not know where Michael’s ex-wife Margaret lived as he had only met her once briefly but he believed she lived in the Mitchelstown area.” 
        That the ambassador could not see this glaring contradiction from what he said on Tuesday and what he was now saying on Thursday was incomprehensible.  I could now classify him in the same category as the Honorary Consul.  Nonetheless, I decided to persist and see if Frank Sheridan was prepared to help get the truth of what happened to my brother. I had already spoken to superintendent  Flor Horan and I knew he had his own agenda in relation to any investigation into Michael McGrath’s death. 
So on the 4th January 2007 at 20.30 I sent the following email to ambassador Frank Sheridan:

Dear Mr Ambassador,

              I acknowledge the work you have done, but I would be extremely grateful to get the information from the police as detailed in our conversation of the 2nd January. Namely, how Dr. Shathani came to end up paying for Michael’s car hire at Johannesburg Airport and secondly details of how Dr. Shathani explained to the police where he believed Michael’s estranged wife might reside and how well he knew her.
I would also like to know how Dr. Shathani’s fiancée took over the driving of Michael’s hire car, when he was the only person authorised to drive it?
Did she drive it illegally?
Have the police in Palapye investigated this?
Why did Dr. Shathani abandon this car and ask the car rental company to collect it on the 18th December?
Yours sincerely,
            Tom McGrath

I received the following reply from Frank Sheridan on the Friday 5th January 2007 at 09:48.

 Dear Mr McGrath,
           Thank you for your further email.
In the past few days the process regarding your brother has become formalised arising from the matter being referred to the Gardai (Irish police).  Their enquiries through us about how a report might be obtained have prompted the authorities in Botswana to indicate that a request should be made for a written report through the usual police liaison channels.  This is not unusual internationally in such matters.
This effectively means that the scope for informal enquiries by the Embassy is diminished.  Any further queries we would make will evoke the response that we should await the issuance of that written report.  I do not know if the Gardai have tabled that request yet. Accordingly, as mentioned in my email yesterday, you should ensure that any questions you have on the case are referred to the investigating Garda.
             On the repatriation of your brother’s remains, we have been informed just now that your brother’s coffin is leaving Gaborone today on the way to Ireland, due to arrive in Ireland from Frankfurt.  I understand that all details, including flights etc. have been passed to the undertaker in Mitchelstown.
            Lastly, as mentioned to you in my email two days ago, I will be away from the office from midday today for the next two weeks and the file on the tragic death of your brother is being passed to my colleague, Ms. Wendy Dorman-Smith. Her email is wendy.dorman-smith@dfa.ie . The duty officer phone number on which she can be reached is 0258-823091430.
With best wishes,
Frank Sheridan
Ambassador  Maputo Embassy.

So the ambassador, either by good fortune or by slick footwork was removing himself from this troublesome case. Later that day I rang Ms. Dorman-Smith for the first time and asked her “when were my brother’s remains due back in Ireland?”
“Those details have been forwarded to the undertaker in Mitchelstown, you can get the details from there”, she informed me brusquely. 
“You have the file with the details, I would like to know now when Michael is due back home.”
“I will have to look up the file, hold on” she said. Twenty minutes later she came back on the line, “he is due in Dublin on Sunday the 7th January.” 
“What time will he be in Dublin?” I asked. 
“I haven’t got that information, consult the undertaker as I told you already,” she said and rang off. 
I was on my mobile phone, this call with it’s deliberate delay cost me 48 euros and she still did not give me the information I requested. I had serious questions about Ms. Wendy Dorman-Smith Her uncooperative attitude and deliberate wasting my money on this call, made me uneasy about her attitude, why? I decided it was pointless contacting the embassy again, I had extracted all the information I was going to get from that source for now. It was valuable information because it confirmed beyond any doubt that Dr. Shathani was lying. People do not lie in serious situations unless they have something to cover up. 
I knew for certain my brother was not suicidal. 
I knew he always carried anything between six and ten thousand euros on him at all times.
I knew he had pre paid his car hire before he left Ireland. 
I knew that Shathani had been to Michael’s home in Knockagarry, many times while his family lived there, and so had met Margaret Lynch many times. Yet here he was putting distance between himself and the widow. He had been to Michael’s home in Knockagarry on the weekend of 19th November. 
He knew for certain where Margaret Lynch lived in Cork, because his friend Homere was staying in her house and moved across to be in the same house as himself at 50 Summertown Drive in Cork.
        

In the meantime while I was dealing with Frank Sheridan and Flor Horan, I had found a copy of Michael’s travel plans.  He travelled on Flight AF5009 on the 6th December at 14.15 to Charles DeGaule Airport in Paris, meeting connecting flight AF 992 to Johannesburg Airport at 19.35 .
His return flight was booked for the 19th December AF 997 at 22.15 to Paris and connecting with flight AF5004 at 10.15 to Dublin on the 20th December.  He booked and paid for his flights and car hire on the 22nd November at Shandon Travel in Cork. His hire car was with National Car Rentals from the 6th to 19th December, pick up at Desk in Terminal, cost of hire 294.94 euros prepaid at Shandon Travel, booking made through Auto Europe for Shandon Travel. Receipt for payment on the 22nd November and confirmed as valid by Shandon Travel consultant on the 28th December. On the 28th December, myself and Kitty went to see Michael’s local TD and explained the case to him. 
          He said that certainly there were serious questions to be answered and he would see what he could do. He was surprised by the attitude of superintendent  Horan. On the 5th January 2007, we received a phone call from the local parliamentarian, Michael Ahern T.D. who said he had managed to get a post mortem and a coroner’s court inquiry for Michael. We were deeply grateful for this, as we felt this would finally unearth the truth. It was a most important breakthrough and I had confidence in the Irish pathologists and the coroners courts appeared to be fair places where the truth could be heard. I called to see my brother Peter and told him of the breakthrough. I also told him that Patricia had told me “that on the morning of December 6 , Mike had hidden the keys to his Mercedes under the bedroom wardrobe.” 
“Michael always kept a large roll of 50 and 100 euro notes there also,” I said. 
“Be sure you don’t tell Margaret Lynch, I do not want her to find the keys or the money, let her go to the bother and expense of getting new keys for the car.” As soon as I had left Peter picked up the telephone and rang Margaret Lynch to tell her where the car keys and the money were hidden. Peter’s son Tom and his wife tried to stop him but they said he had a steer in his eye and said, “my conscience is clear I am doing the right thing, it is rightfully her property now.” When I heard what he had done I was furious, how could he help this awful woman, who, I was certain had a part in Michael’s murder. 
I confronted Peter about it, “Peter, I told you in confidence where Michael had hidden his keys, why did you tell Margaret Lynch?”
“She was entitled to know, the car is hers now, its not yours!” said Peter. 
“But why did you tell her, why not let her go to the expense and bother of getting new keys?”
“She is his wife, she is entitled to everything, its hers!” said Peter.
“Peter I can never tell you anything again when you betray my trust to that evil woman!” I replied, “I thought you were on Michael’s side and the first chance you get, you run with information to Margaret Lynch, you are a traitor to your brother!”
“I did what was right!” said Peter.
“If that is your version of right, you are very misguided,” I replied. 
“My conscience is clear, whatever you say,” replied Peter.
It was another hammer blow to my fragile state, Peter had betrayed my trust and his dead brother Michael who would have depended on us to seek out justice for his awful death.  Yet here was Peter, as soon as my back was turned ringing and conveying confidential information to the very person I suspected was involved in a major way in his murder.  I felt so alone, one brother was dead and the other was behaving like a traitor.  My head was sore and I had difficulty thinking.  That night I went to bed exhausted but I could not sleep.  What was this nightmare that seemed to get more difficult with every single day?

Chapter 5 Gold Digger

Margaret Lynch arrived in Knockagarry in 1979 with nothing, just a few rags in an old suitcase and a truck load of baggage from her relationship with O'Keeffe. Everything she did was simple but well planned, she had an agenda. Her plan was to drive all of Michael's family and friends away so she could isolate him and get him to do her will without question. 
        There were warning bells from the first night he met her at The Top Hat dance hall in Fermoy in 1976. It was no accidental meeting as we later found out. Margaret Lynch had devised a cunning strategy to find a rich husband. She would arrive early before the doors to the hall opened and parked up at the side of the building where she could watch the cars arriving before people go to the dance hall. She was on the look out for someone arriving fairly early in an expensive car, preferably their own. By this she figures out that they were not drinking before going dancing and had wealth behind them. Then she followed them inside and watched who they were talking with, she would then approach their friends and elicit details of her target's wealth.  She struck gold when she moved in on my brother Michael Mc Grath. He had the car, he was not a drinker, his parents had a large dairy farm which was well run and Michael was young, inexperienced and naïve.
        The warning bells grew louder as she took control over Michael completely. By 1977 she had convinced Michael to go on a 'go slow'; to refuse to milk the cows, to avoid doing fence repairs, to be missing when cattle needed to be moved to fresh pasture. She thought that by leaving my parents do all the work they would transfer the farm over to Michael. In 1978 she drew Michael deeper into her trap by getting 'engaged' to him. Michael lost his virginity to her. He just adored her and she had him in a trance. He was innocent and naïve, she was very experienced and ruthless. She then began a new campaign of manipulation; she told Michael "that she could not marry him unless his father signed over the farm to him." My father was only 54 years old at that time and regarded the idea as preposterous but Margaret Lynch was relentless. She kept putting new strategies forward and brain-washed Michael into implementing them. She was devious and she advised Michael to get his mother on side. Later she got Michael to ask Peter, myself and Dr. Michael Herlihy to persuade my father to sign everything he owned over to him.  I remember Michael coming into my room one even when I arrived home from work. He said "Margaret was the love of his life and he would die if she didn't marry him." Then he began to cry like a child and said "that Margaret she could never marry him unless my father signed over the farm to him."
I advised him saying "Mike you are a young man, you can get a job as a farm manager and there is always a house going with the job so you will be fine."
"She won't marry me unless I have my own farm. Why won't you help me?" He pleaded with tears rolling down his face. 
"It does not matter what I say, Dad takes no notice of anything I say," I replied. 

So Lynch focused on my mother, fruit cakes would arrive regularly and she kept Michael on tune begging my mother to help him be with the 'amazing love of his life'. Eventually my father gave in and eventually by mid 1979 he signed everything he owned over to his son Michael McGrath. The value of the farm and dairy herd was about half a million punts, with no mortgage or debts, the definite gold digger was on her way! Michael purchased a brand new mobile home while the "Big House" was being built to her wishes.
         As soon as she arrived in Knockagarry she began stage two of her plan. On the second day after her arrival, she refused the keys of the car to my father. On the next morning she was in the milking parlour all decked out in new wellingtons and a rubber apron. She told my mother that she was "no longer required at the milking" and that she "would now be helping Michael!" That was the only time Margaret ever offered to help Michael with the milking. Two weeks later Peter and his wife Margaret came to help Michael stack the bales of hay in the barn. When Margaret Lynch saw who was helping Michael she arrived down to the haybarn and said "Michael, we can do this on our own, we don't need outsiders!" She burst out crying and set off walking down the road in a pretense of running away back to Carrignavar. Michael ran after his new bride to plead with her to return, which she did as Peter and his wife had already left. 
       My mother who had seven thousand pounds put away in a rainy day account. She got Peter to drive her to O'Callaghan's garage in Kantruk and she bout a second hand Datsun Sunny car fro seven hundred pounds. My parents were now mobile and spent their days at Finn's farm, just returning home to sleep. My parents had sixty dry cattle kept for themselves as a reserve fund. They asked Michael to take the cattle to the mart for them. When the cheque for 30,000 pounds arrived, Margaret Lynch had Michael sign the back of it and she lodged it into her own bank account without conscience. 
         She also set about isolating Michael from his neighbours and friends. In 1981, she cut out words from newspapers and made up abusive letters which she posted to herself, she blamed a neighbour and involved the police. The neighbour stopped visiting and Michael became more isolated. Another neighbour, bachelor Michael McCarthy was welcomed for a while as he had a fine farm up the road but when she learned that Mc Carthy's mother had lived on into her nineties; she reckoned that she would be eighty by the time he died and he was no longer welcome either. 
         In November 1980 my uncle John O'Donnell died and in 1983, my mother inherited fifty thousand pounds from his estate. For the next year Margaret Lynch love bombed my mother and Michael pleaded dire poverty, she got most of that money too. When the money was gone a new round of intimidation began, it was nightly and relentless. She had trained her two toddler daughters Brid and Marie to hate the entire Mc Grath family. Each evening she would deliver them to the door of my parent's house and they would scream obscenities at my mother until they turned red in the face. Margaret set her greedy eyes on the antique table and sideboard in my parent's home. When she eventually drove them out in 1985 she got Michael to put calves into the rooms, so that my parents could never come back.  I had received a small farm from my uncle John in 1978, it was a joint ownership of myself and my mother. Margaret Lynch set her sights on this in 1980, she convinced Michael it was part of the farm at Knockagarry and was rightfully his. One weekend when I called to see my parents, who were not there, Michael arrived into the yard. 
"You must return the Finn farm to me," he said.
"What are you talking about?" I asked. 
"The Finn's farm is mine and you took it, you must give it back to me or give me twenty thousand pounds now!" He demanded. 
I was working on a building site in Galway for a take home salary of sixty pounds per week, out of which I had to pay rent, run my car, feed and cloth myself. I was lucky if I had enough to go from one week to the next. I said "Mike you must be joking. I haven't a penny to spare never mind twenty thousand pounds." He reached in and started to pull me out through the window of the car. "Mike! What is wrong with you?! I have never taken anything from you. You got everything our parents had and I never asked you for anything." I said. He let go and said "I'm sorry but Margaret thinks you owe us." I left and didn't go back there again until Margaret Lynch had left there twenty three years later. 

            My parents were lucky that Uncle John had given me this small holding, because if it were in my mother's name Lynch would have gotten that too and in 1985, when my parents knocked on my door crying, after being evicted from their own home and looking for a place to stay they would have had no place to go. I welcomed them in and built on a granny flat where they lived happily in peace and security for the rest of their lives. My father never went back to Knockagarry again. My mother used get an invite to baptisms, birthdays, confirmations and events where she would give the child a twenty pound gift. She never blamed her son Michael for the catastrophe that had arrived to destroy our family. I never blamed him either as Michael was naïve and not at all worldly wise and had fallen totally under the malign influence of Margaret Lynch. She used him as long as it was expedient for her. When her sister died in 2003 and the opportunity of being with Michael O' Keeffe re-emerged, she dumped my brother like an old rag doll. 
       But that was not enough, she was not going to leave empty handed, Michael's settlement offer of two million euros in August 2006 was rejected out of hand by her, four months before he was murdered in Botswana. I was prepared to forget everything she had inflicted on my parents, on our family but when Michael was murdered I made a promise that those responsible will stand before a judge. I am certain they will and much sooner than they think. Margaret Lynch manipulated and used everyone she possibly could; her own children, my brother Michael McGrath, the local clergy, the local Gardai, her neighbours, even her own father. Each Friday she would drive up to Carrignavar and collect Jerry Lynch and take him to the post office to collect his pension. Then dive him back to his home, having taken his money from him and leave the old man with nothing. I have called this woman Margaret Lynch as long as I have known her because she never loved my brother. She married his property and never deserved to call herself a Mc Grath or even a Lynch for that matter as the evil gene she carries has all the hallmarks of her mother's people. Many of whom were famous cold hearted gold diggers, though I am not aware of any as cold hearted and ruthless as Michael McGrath's estranged and strange wife, Margaret Lynch. Boy, did she use the local Gardai to obey her every whim, right up to risking their careers, the reputation of the police force and even their integrity as a human being. She used to hold parties at Hillcrest house- the "big house" at which only important people would be invited. She knew the important people to cultivate and likewise began her relationship with Garda Superintendent Flor Horan. He was used by her to great effect and she achieved and got everything she wanted, all Michael Mc Grath's property except of course the small investment he made with a friend in England. 

Chapter 6 Sergeant O’Sullivan

                                            
“I know it is a very sad time for you and it is difficult to accept the circumstances of your brothers death, you really have my deepest sympathy, at this difficult time but both the police in Botswana and here, are satisfied that there is no doubt, but that it was a clear cut suicide,” said Horan. 
In one quick move Horan had diverted us away from following up on his file on our brother Michael McGrath.  It was a masterful move coming at a time when we were searching for answers and were unused to and unable to formulate the questions that needed to be asked.
I rang the embassy and asked to speak to Frank Sheridan.
“ My name is Tom McGrath, I am the brother of Michael McGrath who was killed in Botswana, sometime around the 13th December, I am certain Michael was not suicidal and I would like to find out what happened to him. We have already been lied to about his death, as his family told us he was killed in a car accident, drink related.” 
The Ambassador said, he would make some enquiries, “send me an email and I will get a report back to you as soon as I have some answers.”  
His answers raised more questions, which he failed or refused to answer. So that avenue of inquiry was shut in our face also.
Kitty said, “there is only one way you can go now, you must make out a case for an investigation and give it to Michael’s local TD (member of Parliament) and ask for his help. Michael Ahern is the best, he is a minister and he is honest and you need someone honest on your side right now,” she concluded. It was good advice and I set out to summarise the case so far. 
        My brother Peter, myself,  and all Michael’s friends are certain that Michael McGrath was not suicidal. His personal doctor Michael Herlihy is certain that Michael was not suicidal. He visited his neighbour, Don O’Driscoll the day before he travelled to Botswana and asked him, “What did he want from the duty free?” Clearly, not a man planning a far away suicide.
Michael McGrath of Hilcrest,  Knockagarry,  Mitchelstown,  Co. Cork married Margaret Lynch of Carrignavar, Co.Cork in 1979. At thirty years old she was a decade older than Michael. From the beginning she planned on isolating him, from his family, friends and neighbours one by one; until in 1985 she drove my parents out of their family home at Knockagarry by continuous intimidation. She had trained her two children Brid age five and Marie age four to repeatedly shout “fuck off out of here you old bitch” at my mother.  
          In July 2003 Margaret Lynch’s sister, died of cancer. Margaret Lynch had always idolised her late sister’s husband, Michael O’Keeffe of Island , Carrignavar. In fact she had dated him prior to her sister marrying him. Back in the mid eighties, Michael McGrath broke his pelvis in an accident. He rang Peter and asked him to milk the cows for him. Peter did so that evening, again the following morning and the next evening he was finishing milking the cows when Michael O’Keeffee arrived and told him “You can leave, now, I am taking over here.” Peter was shocked by the abrasiveness of O’Keeffe. He washed up and left. Michael O’Keeffe had hired a relief milker to do the work and it was charged against Michael McGrath, that was the extent of his taking over the work- a phone call. But he had the arrogance and ignorance to order Peter McGrath off the farm where he was born. 
            In July of 2004, Margaret Lynch and her five children moved out of the family home and into an eleven bedroom mansion in Bishopstown in Cork city, which Michael McGrath had recently purchased. On the day she moved out, Margaret Lynch’s daughter Marie and her ‘brother-in-law', Michael O’Keeffe made statements to Mitchelstown Gardai and to Dr. Herlihy, “that Michael was a danger to the public and to have him committed to secure mental asylum." He was subsequently examined, by two psychiatrists in Cork, who could find nothing wrong with him. When Michael went into the rooms of the children; he found all their clothes gone, even though they took very little clothes with them as they all left in the one car, in what was supposed to be a spontaneous reaction to a contrived row that morning. Their clothes had been secreted out over the previous week in a very carefully planned operation.
           In the last week of August 2004 Michael travelled to the USA, with myself, Tom McGrath and our friend Tom O’Gorman. We returned on the 30th of August and dropped Michael off at his home at 1.00pm. An hour after we left, a convoy arrived at his home. Margaret Lynch was accompanied,  by her ‘friend’ Michael O’Keeffe. His son John O’Keeffe of Carrignavar and his son Noel of Annakissa, Mallow, arrived at the same time driving separate vehicles. She claimed she wanted to collect her belongings, even though Michael had informed the family he was going to the USA for a week, she waited until he returned. 
Michael told the O’Keeffe’s “they were trespassing and to leave his home.”
They refused, John O’Keeffe told Mike “to watch your back.” This was a clear threat to Michael that he would be ambushed, at a future date. 
Noel and his father, Michael O’Keeffe told him 
“to calm down and keep taking the tablets for his head.” 
This was an attempt to rile Michael so that they could all attack him and then say he was violent and unstable. In the highly tense atmosphere, Margaret Lynch left a notebook after her, in which she had detailed the steps required to have a person committed to a mental asylum and the legal steps required to get deed of attorney over their property. My brother Michael placed this precious document in the hands of his solicitor, Noel O’Doherty. A series of court cases followed which his solicitor will have details of.
Margaret Lynch accused Michael of being abusive to her and the children, this was proven to be false in court.
 She tried to have him convicted of being a pedophile, this proved to be untrue and false.

          On the sixteenth of September, I travelled to the UK with Michael and our friend, Tom O’Gorman. Michael received a telephone call from Dr. Shathani Mugoma; to urgently deposit a thousand euros to his bank account, as he needed to buy a dowry of two camels and a cow for his bride’s family in Botswana. Michael deposited this money for him on his return to Ireland and confirmed to me, he had given Shathani the money.
On the 19th October, Michael travelled with family and friends to his nephew’s wedding in Lexington, Kentucky. While he was away, a neighbour Don O’Driscoll, noticed that Michael’s home was being staked. Yet there has never been a robbery? Even though Michael was away for two weeks. Nor has the house been burgled since then.

          Michael booked his Botswana travel at Shandon Travel at Wilton in Cork. He dealt with travel agent Lorraine on the 22nd of November 2006, he paid cash for his flights and his car hire. Having telephoned Dr. Shathani to confirm his travel details, he later received a text message from Shathani, requesting four and a half thousand euros to pay for the ‘wedding’. On the 26th of November 2006, he texted Michael with his bank details and thanking him for assisting him. Michael confirmed to his brother Peter that he had given Shathani this money. On the 9th December 2006, Michael rang Shandon Travel, as he still had not got his hire car details. Dr. Shathani and an African lady were with him. The unknown lady telephone number 0027-00000000.  Who was this lady?   

By the time I had completed my summary, I received the email from the Ambassador, outlining the case for suicide as presented by the Botswana authorities. I attached this email to my list of suspicions and gave the lot to Michael Ahern. On the 12th December we have the events outlined in the email from ambassador Frank Sheridan, which I received on the second of January 2007. 
I met with Minister Michael Ahern on the night of 2nd January 2007. I gave him the summary and the email from the Ambassador. 
I told him, “I was now certain beyond any shadow of doubt; that Michael had been murdered, which was now being passed off as suicide. Margaret Lynch has a long history of machinations, to attain whatever goal was of importance to her at any one time”.
I counted off the failed attempts to get Michael out of the way so that she could takeover all his property.  
Number one, she tried to get him committed to a mental home, that failed.
Number two, she tried the line abusive to her and the children, that failed.
Number three, she tried the paedophile line, that failed.
Number four, lured him to Botswana,- murdered, success. 
As next of kin, everything was hers.

Minister Ahern agreed to take our concerns to the Department of Justice and see what could be done. On receipt of the email on the 2nd January from the Ambassador, I telephoned him with a number of questions based on facts I had unearthed in my own limited investigation. As a result of having spoken with the travel agent at Shandon travel, I knew Michael did not receive his hire car until Shathani arrived on the 9th December.
I wanted an explanation for this! I also wanted to know how the police were able to contact Michael’s family as he was separated from his wife for almost three years. The Ambassador said he would check with the investigating officer and come back to me as soon as possible. Having spoken with Assistant Superintendent Ngwato he confirmed;  ‘that the reason Michael did not get his hire car until the 9th December, until Shathani arrived was that, he did not have the money to pay his car hire and that he, Dr. Shathani had paid the money’.  
He said that Dr. Shathani ‘did not know Margaret Lynch McGrath as he had only met her once briefly, but that he believed she lived in the Mitchelstown, Co. Cork area’.
      I knew that Michael had prepaid his car hire in full on the 22nd November at Shandon Travel in Cork. So Shathani was lying about the car hire. 
I also knew he had been to Michael’s home in Knockagarry on ten occasions that I knew of, so he was definitely lying about not knowing Margaret Lynch McGrath. As he was lying about two items of evidence that I was sure about, then everything in this statement was suspect. 
Why did he want to distance himself from Margaret Lynch McGrath? As a result of this conversation I sent the already quoted email to Ambassador Frank Sheridan, on the 2nd January at 19:12. The ambassador’s reply was dismissive and unhelpful. He advised all further questions be addressed to the Irish police.
      On the 4th January I got a call from Michael Ahern to confirm that the Department of Justice; based on my concerns, had ordered a post-mortem and a coroner’s court enquiry into the death of Michael McGrath. I was relieved that finally we would get some honest answers to some disturbing questions that surrounded the death of my brother, Michael McGrath. 
      On the 4th January 2007, I called into Mitchelstown Garda Station and asked to see Sergeant Tony O’Sullivan. I had decided it wasn’t possible that there could be another policeman like Flor Horan. Sergeant Tony could not be nicer; he brought me into his private office and shook hands with me and sympathised with me ‘for the sad loss of your brother’.
“I understand exactly how you feel as I lost a brother abroad a few months back”, he declared. 
“If there is anything at all I can do to help, just ask me”, he said graciously. 
I had written some notes on the case and read them over to the sergeant.
Michael McGrath, of Hillcrest, Knockagarry, Mitchelstown, Co. Cork married Margaret Lynch of Carrignavar in 1979.  She was almost ten years older than Michael.  From the beginning she isolated Michael from his family one by one, until in 1985 she drove my parents out of their family home by continuous intimidation. 
      In 2003 Margaret Lynch’s sister died of cancer. Margaret Lynch always idolised her late sister’s husband Michael O’Keffee of Carrignavar and at one stage dated him.
       In July 2004, Margaret Lynch and her five children;- Brid, Marie, Michael, Diarmuid and Lelia moved out of the family home and into an eleven bedroom mansion which Michael had purchased.
      On the day they moved out, Michael O’Keffee and ‘daughter’ Marie McGrath made statements to Mitchelstown Gardai and to Dr. Michael Herlihy to have Michael committed to a secure mental institution.  He was subsequently examined by two psychiatrists who could find nothing wrong with him.
      In the last week of august 2004, Michael travelled to the USA with myself and our friend, Tom O’Gorman.  We returned from the USA on the 30th August.  Shortly after we left Michael at his home in Knockagarry, a convoy arrived at his home. Margaret Lynch accompanied by Michael O’Keffee and his two sons, John And Noel. Michael Roche another brother-in-law accompanied them.  Margaret was there on the pretext of collecting her belongings.  Michael told them they were trespassing and to leave his home.  Michael Roche immediately did so.  The O’Keeffes remained and issued direct threats to Michael and taunted him with ‘keep taking the tablets for your head’. 
     In the frantic goings on Margaret Lynch left a notebook/diary after her in which she detailed the steps necessary to have someone committed to a mental asylum and the steps required to get deed of attorney over his property. A series of court cases followed which his solicitor will have details of.
     On the 16th September, I travelled to the UK with my brother Michael and Tom O’Gorman. Michael got a request from Dr. Shathani Mugoma to urgently forward a thousand euros to buy a dowry for his proposed bride in Botswana.
  On the 19th October2006, Michael travelled with family and friends to his nephew Fanahan McGrath’s wedding in Lexington. While he was away, a neighbour, Don O’Driscoll noticed that Michael’s home was being staked out.  Yet there has never been a robbery?  Even though Michael was away for two weeks, nor has the house been burgled since then.
       Michael booked his travel at Shandon Travel, Wilton on the 22nd November 2006.  Having confirmed his travel with Dr. Shathani he later received a text request for 4,500 euros to pay for the ‘wedding’.
      On the 26th nov. he texted Michael’s mobile with the bank details, with a thank you for assisting him.  Michael confirmed to his brother Peter that he had given Shathani this money.
      On the 6th December 2006, Michael travelled by air-coach to Dublin Airport and travelled with Air France to Johannesburg.
      On the 9th December, Michael rang Shandon Travel as he still had not received his hire car.  Dr. Shathani and an African lady were with him.  The unknown lady tel. No. 0027-8274689017. Who was this lady?
      On the 12th December we have the events outlined in the email from ambassador Frank Sheridan (attached).
Sergeant O’Sullivan asked if he might copy this statement and the email from the ambassador and I readily agreed as I felt here is a policeman who wants to help!!!                                         

               Over the following days, my focus was in getting Michael home so that we could get this investigation under way. I bombarded the Irish Embassy with telephone calls and emails asking “what were they doing about getting Michael’s body returned home.” Finally as described elsewhere, Michael arrived back in Ireland on the 7th January 2007, and after some very bizarre behaviour was finally buried on the 10th of January, in Kilbenny Cemetry beside his father, uncles and grandparents. After the funeral, I rested for a few days and rebuilt my strength to take the next steps to ensure justice for my brother.  
         On the14th January 2007 I telephoned Sergeant Tony O’Sullivan. He sympathised with me again and said he was “very sorry about Michael’s death and that he would do anything he could to help in any way he could.” I asked to meet with him to discuss our concerns and so I arranged to meet with him at Mitchelstown Garda Station at 15:00 hours. My wife Kitty accompanied me and we were shown into a private interview room by Tony O’Sullivan; looking back I would guarantee that it was in this same interview room his colleagues had grilled and tried to set Michael up about ‘abusing’ his daughter. 
         Sergeant Tony was kindness personified, he sympathised with us "on our sad loss and said he understood as he had a lost a brother abroad a few months previously.  He knew what we were going through as he had recently gone through it himself”. I liked him and immediately trusted him, he seemed anxious to help.
“What can I do for you?” he asked pen and paper in hand.
I gave him a copy of ambassador Frank Sheridan’s email detailing the information from Assistant Superintendent Ngwato. I told him the information I had that Michael had prepaid his car hire. That he could prove this by contacting Shandon Travel at Wilton in Cork. I also told him of the information on Michael’s phone, which had details of Shathani’s request for money. I also verified that Michael was not suicidal and that furthermore he always carried six or seven thousand euros cash on him at all times.
      “This matter will be thoroughly investigated by the Gardai, you can rest assured of that, we will systematically go through all the evidence, if there is any wrong doing we will investigate it thoroughly,” said O’Sullivan. 
“We will await the outcome of the post mortem, that will give us facts to go on and we can progress the investigation from there,” he said. I left feeling here was a solid policeman, who was intelligent and knew how to carry out a proper investigation. Also his own brother had died abroad recently and he knew our pain? He had assured us he would do his very best with this investigation.
“How soon will you have the results of the post-mortem,” I asked. 
“It takes about three weeks,” he said, “it depends on how busy Dr. Bolster is.” 
He shook hands warmly with us both and said, “to contact him anytime and if we had any more information on any aspect of the case, to be sure to bring it to him.”
“However trivial it may seem, bring all information to me and I will see that it is dealt with,” he said helpfully.

As he, Sergeant O’Sullivan had been recommended to us by Superintendent Flor Horan, I should have been suspicious of this so sympathetic policeman. But this accomplished actor had completely gained my confidence and I was determined to give him every bit of information I could, so that he would blow the case wide open. Looking backwards on the events of the coming months, I can only now say that I was totally blinded by grief and by the feeling of blinding injustice at what had transpired since Michael’s death, not to have spotted the close links between Horan and O’Sullivan. At this point I asked my niece Ann-Marie to write down the details of all her conversations with Michael’s family, as I believed that forensically they could later be valuable evidence.

1.	--- 15th December 2006
Friday the 15th December 2006, I received a phone call from Marie McGrath at 8.50pm.
“Have you somewhere quiet to take this phone call?”
“There has been an accident, Dad is dead, as you know it is drink related!”
I said, “ I loved your dad very much.”
I told the family.


2.	--- 15th December 2006 
At 10.45pm Tom, Peter and cousins asked me to ring Marie and ask for “Dr. Shathani’s phone number so we could enquire further what happened!”                                                        Marie said, “I have no phone number for Shathani, we have only been in contact with the police.”  “As you know we only found out what happened to Dad an hour before I rang you, we believe Shathani was in the car accident with his fiancée.”  “He is getting married on Saturday, as you know Weddings in Botswana take 3 days, so it will be Tuesday before there is a post mortem.” 
I thanked her and referred the message back to the family.

3.	--- 16th December 2006
I phoned Brid at 1.30am in the morning,  “ I don’t know about you but I not sleeping as I was upset,” said Ann-Marie.
Brid said, “she wasn’t either.”

 4.--- 16th December 2006
Brid said, “ As you know we have had a tough few years with our father, he hasn’t made life easy.”
“He was good man and I will hold it in my heart for the rest of my life,” said Ann-Marie.
“ He minded my 2 kids the whole day of my brother’s wedding in America.”
“Well you are entitled to your opinion!” replied Brid.
“As you know there is a lot of paperwork and it is going to be very expensive to bring him home,” said Brid.
She also said to ask “if it would be alright if Dad was buried in Killcrumper with baby John?”
“I will have to notify my Dad, my uncle and my Granny,” said Ann-Marie. 

     5.--- 9th January 2007 at 9.30am
I sent a text message asking, ‘would Danny O’Connor and Jack Flynn be singing at the funeral’?
Response:
 ‘No’!  ‘It’s a singer organised by the funeral home. We decided with all the nonsense that’s been going on, it was best to keep it neutral.  And for everyone’s information we did not have ‘guests’ in the house last night. We said prayers and said goodbye to our father! For God’s sake wont people just calm down and show some decency and respect!  We all need some peace. It was never easy for us and I am not saying it was easy for ye. Brid'

     6.--- 9th January 2007
‘Lets just do the right thing tomorrow and look after our families regardless of what rumour mongers say.  Goodnight Brid, a McGrath as well in case no one noticed!’

Chapter 7 The Funeral Arrangements

” Where have all the flowers gone?”

John Denver

                                                                                                                                                                          
The death notice was sparse in the Examiner newspaper on Tuesday the 9th January 2007.
 It read:
 ‘McGrath (Mitchelstown).  On December 13, 2006, unexpectedly, in Botswana.  Michael,  Hillcrest, Knockagarry, Mitchelstown, Co. Cork.  Deeply regretted by his wife Margaret, children Brid, Marie, Michael, Diarmuid and Lelia.  His mother Mary, brothers Peter and Thomas, sisters- in- law, nieces, nephews, and grandnephews.  Requiem Mass tomorrow (Wednesday) at 12 noon in Mitchelstown Parish Church Burial afterwards to Kilbehenny Cemetry. 
  
         There was no mention of a removal to the church in Mitchelstown. This was part of the overall plan, as nobody knew there was to be a removal or prayers for the dead man, they hoped for a very small attendance. They hoped to make Michael appear, as a pathetic loner who had no friends. This was another calculated deliberate act of denigrating my brother by his evil ex wife and her accomplices; it is an old superstition that the body of a suicide should not spend a night in church. By doing this she was emphasising her so called ‘Christianity’ and telling the world that Michael McGrath’s body was unworthy of spending one last night in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament. This was the most calculated hypocritical act, she was supported in this evil insult by her associates.
      At 18.30 hours my brother Peter, myself Tom and both our families made our way to the funeral home, it was locked when we got there. At 18.50 the undertaker O’Brien appeared to tell us that he had to remove Michael’s remains to the church of The Immaculate Conception, as pipes had burst and flooded the funeral home. We immediately contacted some of our relatives and friends to tell them of this very late change of plans. They in turn spread the word and it spread like wildfire among our and Michael’s friends.
      When we entered the church, there were just two young children, sitting a few pews from the top of the church, apart from that the church was deserted. My brother’s coffin was just in front of the alter, there was a large photo of him taken on a St Patrick’s day about ten years previously; he was obviously inebriated. It was another deliberate attempt by Margaret Lynch McGrath to make him look bad. I had a beautiful picture of my brother, taken at his nephew Fanahan McGrath’s wedding in Lexington, Kentucky, just a few weeks previous. I replaced the awful picture with the very happy picture of Michael at his nephew’s wedding. Five minutes later, the undertaker O’Brien marched straight up to me and told me to get the photo Margaret Lynch had placed on the coffin and put it back in it’s place or there would be no rosary or no funeral ceremony. He also asked me to vacate the front row pew for Margaret Lynch and her people. It astounded me that the funeral undertaker could usurp the place of the priest and decide there would be no rosary or funeral prayers. I was surprised they had planned down to the detail of having two child spies in the church, who sent a text message to tell what I had done. I remained where I was for a further five minutes, while I figured out a suitable response to this latest insult to my dead brother. So I went and got Margaret Lynch’s photo and placed it back on the coffin as it had been and made my way to the rear of the church. I held the beautiful picture of my dear brother in my hand and as people came into the church; I showed them his portrait. I also pointed out to them that the McGrath family were on the left hand side of the isle and the black widow and her crew were on the right.   
         Quickly the church filled up; despite the ploy of making no newspaper announcement of prayers and the belated switch to the church, everyone went to the left hand side, until that side of the church was completely full. As more people came they started to fill the church on the right, starting with the last seat; until the right hand side was full to half way. The fifteen seats directly behind Margaret Lynch remained empty; it was as if she had a plague, she was shunned by the entire congregation. People who arrived late stood beside me at the rear of the church. My nephew, Tom McGrath came back to the rear of the church and stood beside me in solidarity for my brother Michael McGrath. His ex wife and her acolytes had done all they could to make him look bad before the community. She thought that by nobody knowing about the church service, that nobody would turn up; making Michael look like an outcast with no friends. The photo was designed to make it look like he was always drunk and they never had anything only drunken times with him. Later that evening Anne-Marie rang Brid and asked her could Michael’s good friends Dan O’Connor and Jack Flynn pay a musical tribute to uncle Mike at the church service. She said I will get back to you and some time later sent the following text message:
  'We decided with all the nonsense that’s been going on, it was best to keep it neutral and for everyone’s information we did not have any guests at the house last night. We simply said some prayers and said goodbye to our father. Just us. For god’s sake, wont people just calm down, and show some decency and respect. We all need some peace. It was never easy for us, and I’m not saying it was easy for ye,  B'.

              The following day the church was full ten minutes before mass, the rear of the church was standing room only and as the funeral service came to a finish, people were lined outside who were unable to get into church. Peter and myself were at the front, under the coffin and Michael’s sons were at the rear. There were at least fifteen hundred people present, ninety nine point nine nine per cent were friends of Michael McGrath. The remaining 0.001 percent were the plotters who profited by his death. By the strange laws we have in the republic of Ireland, his next of kin were those who had made numerous attempts to destroy Michael and now after careful planning had succeeded in a most imaginative way. So the sad procession made it’s way to Kilbehenny cemetery. Michael O’Keeffe was chauffeuring Margaret Lynch in the first car behind the hearse; he had a broad smile and she had a very contented countenance. Everything was going according to their plan and despite my best efforts there was nothing I could do about it, they were all going to be rich. 
        When we got to Kilbehenny, I told my nephew Fanahan to take my place as he had travelled from Lexington to attend his uncle Michael’s funeral. I took my place immediately behind the plotters. I was directly behind Marie and her white blond Zimbabwean boyfriend, as we followed my brother’s coffin to it’s final resting place. I was astounded to see him rubbing the cheeks of her backside, all the way up to the graveside. It was surreal, like a scene from the DaVinchi code, we even had our very own albino lookalike with totally unbecoming behaviour present at the funeral. I placed myself to their right and slightly behind them at the graveside. This massaging of her buttocks continued during the final prayers and intensified as Michael’s body was lowered into the grave. It was her final act of sacrilege as the green covers were pulled across the grave.  
        At this point, Michael’s friends Dan O’Connor, Jack and Vincent Flynn, and John Nyhan stepped forward and began to play the most haunting music. Dan sang the John Denver classic ‘Where have all the flowers gone’. He put so much emotion into every word and the musicians into every note, that the of the people present many had tears running freely down their faces. Margaret Lynch cried with temper, she had barred Michael’s friends from paying tribute to him in church and to be defied at this last moment almost gave her a coronary.  She left with Michael O’Keeffe, who was laughing uproariously as he left the cemetery; he knew her tears were sheer frustration.

        But perhaps he had another secret to laugh about which I did not find out about until a few months had passed. This secret is the most puzzling of all, one hour after we left the church after the rosary and events as described; O’Brien’s hearse pulled up at the church and Michael’s coffin was removed and returned to Knockagarry to spend a second night at his home. Neighbours confirmed they saw the hearse with the coffin inside, proceeded by a police escort leaving Michael’s home on the morning of his burial, the 10th January and heading towards Mitchelstown. It raises the question, why would people who had hated Michael so much want to bring his remains back to his home for a second night? It definitely wasn’t because they respected him so much! 
        O’Keeffe saw the funny side of it all and based on the information about the removal of the remains from Mitchelstown church on the night of the 9th January, had we buried Michael at all? That would surely be funny enough to make O’Keeffe fall about laughing. He also had the rich widow in the palm of his hand, she would do anything he asked; and he would have some naughty things to ask her to do, once they got away from all this nonsense.
         The news reporter for The Star on Sunday was present at the church in Mitchelstown and discreetly took some pictures of the funeral cortege. He then made his way to Cork University Hospital and spoke with Dr. Shathani.
He asked him “Why have you not attended the funeral of your friend, Michael McGrath?” 
“I am too busy,” he replied arrogantly.
“Michael travelled eight thousand miles to attend your wedding and you could not travel forty miles to attend his funeral!” asked Kevin.
“I have nothing to say, I must get back to work”, said Shathani and walked away.  Kevin returned to Kilbehenny and took a picture of Michael from me, which he published in his article the following Sunday.  

A millionaire Irishman who is said to have committed suicide in an African hospital was in fact murdered, claims his distraught brother.  Michael McGrath (52) was found dead in a toilet in Botswana, after his throat was slit with a piece of broken glass on December 13th last. The married and separated father of five was in the country to attend the wedding of a friend.
Authorities in Africa believe the property tycoon from Mitchelstown , Co. Cork took his own life, but his brother Tom says the investigation was a disgrace.  A coroner in Cork has now examined Michael’s body after the family contacted the Gardai and expressed concern over his death. Tom McGrath said his brother, who he claims was worth at least four million euros, had everything to live for and would never have contemplated suicide. 
He said, “I have absolutely no doubt that my brother was murdered.”
The police in Botswana claim he cut his own throat with a pane of glass and they were certain it was suicide. 
“The police report is complete rubbish as far as I am concerned. My brother was a wealthy businessman who was looking forward to spending his wealth. Michael had everything to live for and anyone who knew him will tell you he would be the last person to take his own life. I want a proper investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death and will hire a private detective to travel to Botswana if necessary!”
Michael travelled in December to attend a wedding. Tom said, “Michael was invited to a wedding in Botswana and was excited by the whole thing.”  “He was telling people how brilliant it was going to be to attend this wonderful occasion that was to last three days.”
But just five days after he arrived in Africa on December the 7th, Michael was found dead in a pool of blood at a Botswana hospital. Frank Sheridan, the Irish ambassador in Mozambique, wrote to Tom informing him about the police investigation into Michael’s death. The Ambassador said that Assistant Superintendent Ngwato had carried out the police investigation. It was reported Michael had been injured by throwing himself from a car and had been brought to Palapye Hospital by a passer by. 
The Ambassador wrote, 'Assistant Superintendent Ngwato reports on December 13 your brother went into a toilet beside his room in the hospital. Renovation work was going on and some windows were being replaced. Your brother took a length of glass, which was apparently under a washbasin, broke it and used the broken piece to inflict a serious injury to the right side of his neck. Michael was locked in a toilet which was quickly opened with a coin. Your brother was found dead inside in a pool of blood'. There is little doubt in Assistant Superintendent Ngwato’s mind that Michael McGrath committed suicide and at this stage, on the basis of the evidence available, the Assistant Superintendent sees no need for further investigation. But Tom was not convinced with the explanation and decided to involve the Gardai here. 
“I am certain that my brother was murdered,” a tearful Tom said.
“Beyond any shadow of doubt I believe Michael was murdered.” 
“I want the Gardai to investigate this and travel over to Botswana.”  
“My brother had booked a car at Johannesburg Airport before he travelled over there on Decenber 7th.”
“But the car was not picked up until two days later."
The police claim that my brother did not pick up the car because he did not have the money to pay for it. This is absolute rubbish. My brother was a millionaire and always carried a minimum 6000 euros cash in his pocket. The police report is wrong as far as I am concerned. He had over a 1000 in his wallet when his body arrived back.”  Tom also wants to know why Michael’s body was not tested for drugs.  Tom reported his concerns to the gardai on December the 26th.  He said, “they felt there was enough doubt in the case and an autopsy was carried out on my brother last Monday.”  “The body arrived back on January 7 and we identified the body before it was taken to the University Hospital, Cork.”  Tom said his family would not be able to grieve properly until a proper investigation was carried out.  “My mother Mary is 86 and she is absolutely devastated by Michael’s death. It has destroyed us all.”  The results of the autopsy on Michael’s body will not be available for a further three weeks.
              
The day after the article appeared in the paper about Michael, my niece Anne Marie received the following text message from Brid, his daughter the solicitor.
       ‘Just that we are very upset Tom has told tabloids full details.  Dad wouldn’t have wanted it.  And your dad and us didn’t want his name ruined like that. It’s a shame.'

My niece made the mistake of responding to the above twisted remarks and received the following text message, from the other sister, Marie the following day.
 
        ‘Can you let your dad know that we are disgusted Tom has given all the details to a tabloid. That he wouldn’t leave dad a bit of dignity like Pete and we.'
     
  On the 1st of February 2007 , I wrote a tribute to my brother Michael McGrath in The Avondhu.  
                 My brother Michael died unexpectedly in questionable circumstances in Southern Africa about mid December 2006.  Michael was a kind and gentle person, a loving family man, a great friend, a very special person and an innocent man.
 Michael was the youngest of three brothers – Peter, Tom and Michael.  We grew up in a small, happy community in Knockagarry with great neighbours.  We had many more friends in Corroghurm, where we took the milk to the local creamery in 20 gallon and later, 10 gallon churns. It was always a pleasure to meet Paddy Barry, Ned O’Brien and Ted O’Donnell.  Michael was always my little brother. At thirteen, I left home to attend secondary school at Mount Melleray college.  Each term that I was away, Michael saved his weekly bar of chocolate and his one shilling pocket money and when I was returning for the next term, he gave me everything he had. This was Michael McGrath; to his closest family. He gave everything he had – his possessions and his heart.
      In the last two and a half years, all of his close friends – Dan O’Connor, John McNamara, Dan Fox, Michael Shinnick, Dom O’Driscoll, Shanie Buckley, Patricia; His brother Peter, Margaret and all his nephews and nieces, have very special memories from that precious time.  All of them experienced his wonderful hospitality at his home in Knockagarry, as well as his great sense of humour. I shared some wonderful times with my brother Michael. Along with our friend Tom O’Gorman, we visited New York, Washington, Maryland and Virginia, where we stayed as guests of our very good friend, Master Commander Bob Conklin. Michael was a privileged guest at all the functions in Virginia; on board the carrier – the USS Harry S Truman, at the Officers quarters in Virginia Beach and at private parties at our friends home.  It was a delightful memory for him and gave him the strength to deal with the difficulties, that others tried to overwhelm him with. Again last September, I was travelling abroad with Michael, when I witnessed his generosity towards a trusted acquaintance from Africa, who asked for help.
      This past summer, we entertained our cousins, the McGraths from Vancouver in Canada.  In July, we shared a memorable meal in Cashel with Kerry (a crime journalist).  We all laughed so much that, at the time, I thought we had an unfair share of the world’s happiness.  In September, her father Jim, his friend Brian and myself, shared an evening of great hospitality and a happy time spent in his treasured company, at his home in Knockagarry. Last October, family and friends met up again with Michael at our nephew Fanahan McGrath’s wedding in Lexington, Kentucky.  He added many more friends to those who already loved him. Those of us lucky enough to have been present will have seen at first hand what a kind, gentle and loving person our brother Michael was. None more so, than when he was caring for his eight month old grandnephew, Stephen O’Flynn, in a moment of gentleness and love that was captured on camera by our cousin, Kathleen McConnell.  His mother Mary McGrath, and his brothers Peter and Tom; would like to inform all of his friends, that a Months Mind Mass will be held in the Kilbehenny Church on February the 17th at 7.00pm.  Ar dheis De go raibh a anam dilis.  (May his soul rest at the right hand of God).

     This brought a new text message to my niece from Michael’s daughter Brid:
'I don’t mind people saying nice things about my father.  But be careful not to canonise the dead so as to damn the living. I loved my dad, I hope he’s at peace now, but I’m not a huge fan of Tom’s attempts to rewrite history. The facts of which, are only known to my family.'
This message was followed up by this text message from  the second daughter, Marie:
'He He,(laugh) he was a regular St. Francis of Assisi.  But that’s good, if a little out of perspective.  Who wrote it?  No doubt another saint.'
  
       I never had any dealings with this family. They knew nothing about me as I never visited them or invited them to my home. These were the two, now adult girls, who when they were just toddlers of four and five years old, had been trained by Margaret Lynch to go to my mother’s home and repeatedly shout “Fuck off you old bitch, we don’t want you here”. They screamed this vile abuse until their faces turned red with effort and fury. Their mother had set her greedy eyes on the antiques, in my parents’ home and she planned a campaign of hatred and intimidation, against my father and mother; until one October night in 1985 at 22.30 hours they arrived at my home crying.  All they had were their bed clothes in the back of the car. I immediately set about creating an independent home for my parents and built a granny flat for them and they lived there in peace until my father died there on the 30th June 1993. I was present when he died and said the last prayers for my kind father. My mother, my wife Catherine, my daughter Katie and my brother Michael were also present as he died peacefully in his own bed. 
          My mother lived on there until 2010, when Alzheimer’s disease made her constantly demanding to go to her father and brothers home. She died on Sunday 20th May 2012, I was also present when she died and said the last prayers along with her nieces Kate and Ann O’Regan and Ann’s daughter Christine Cleary. My mother’s funeral was made all the more stressful for me by Peter insisting that O’Brien who handled Michael’s funeral so disgracefully would again be funeral director for my mother’s funeral.  

         On the 13th January 2007, I sent a long email to my cousin Fr Paud O’Donnell in England, giving all the facts I had established and asked him to pray for Michael. On the 14th January 2007 I got this response:

Tom,
I have been having a bad time health wise lately and that is why you have not heard from me.  There is little doubt but Michael was killed in suspicious circumstances.  I hope that justice will be seen to be done.
 Looking forward to seeing you.
Take Care
P.O’Donnell  

Chapter 8 The Funeral

                                                 
On the 7th January 2007, I called the undertaker, who informed me that he would be collecting my brother Michael’s body at Dublin airport at 19:00 hours.  I informed my brother Peter and we decided we would travel to Dublin to accompany our brother Michael on his lonely journey back home. So it was that at 16:30 hours we set out for Dublin in Peter’s car accompanied by our and Michael’s friends Tom O’Gorman, Pat O’Reilly and Eddie Tobin. We got to Naas and turned off, as we did not know what part of Dublin airport to look for the hearse. We stopped and had a cup of coffee and at 18:45 we made our way to the slip road from Naas onto the motorway and parked so that we could see the passing traffic. At 19:25 Pat thought he saw the hearse passing, we were not sure so I rang Sergeant Tony O’Sullivan to confirm the location of the hearse.  He confirmed that the hearse and the Garda escort car had passed our location. So we set off in pursuit and in ten minutes we had caught up with the hearse and we could see the unmarked police car in front. It was sad to get my first glimpse of my brother’s coffin in the speeding hearse. It was a plain box, quite large, big enough to hold another coffin inside it.
A few minutes later my phone rang, it was Sergeant Tony O’Sullivan, 
“Tom, the hearse will be stopping off at O’Brien’s funeral home in Mitchelstown, so that your brother’s body can be formally identified; I don’t want any trouble from you, I want this to be as dignified as possible in the circumstances, do you understand?”
“There will not be any trouble from me”, I said. I was amazed by this strange request, here I was grieving for my dead brother and the police sergeant was warning me to behave myself. I told my fellow travelling companions “that the hearse would be stopping in Mitchelstown, so that Mike could be formally identified.”  
As we travelled on the motorway south of Portlaoise my phone rang, it was Sergeant Tony O’Sullivan, “I want you to promise that you will not cause any trouble at the identification, I want this to be as dignified as possible in the circumstances.” 
“I will not cause any trouble”, I replied for the second time.
As we got onto the Cashel bypass my phone rang again; it was Sergeant O’Sullivan “where are you now?” he asked. 
“We are just passing Cashel,” I replied. 
“You will be in Mitchelstown in half an hour. I want you to give me your word that you will not cause any trouble, I want this to be as dignified as possible in the circumstances,” he said for the third time. 
“I will not cause any trouble,” I said numbly.
He rang off.  I was grieving for my brother; I was unable to understand the reason for these multiple strange phone calls from police sergeant O’Sullivan. If I had not been distracted by grief, I would have asked him to explain his strange phone calls!!! When the hearse pulled into the back yard of the funeral home, we parked just behind it and we all quickly alighted from the car. As soon as I stood outside the car Sergeant O’Sullivan came straight over to me.
“I don’t want any trouble from you, is that clear, I wish this to be as dignified as possible in the circumstances, do you understand?” he said.
He pushed me back against the car and held me, “I want you to promise me that you will not cause any trouble at the identification,” he demanded.
“I will not cause any trouble,” I said again.
As he was confronting me, I saw Margaret Lynch McGrath getting out of her car. Michael O’Keeffe was in the drivers seat, intently observing O’Sullivan giving me a dressing down.
“There will be no trouble from me,” I said for the fifth time.  
By this time the coffin was already in the funeral home, I followed as soon as allowed by O’Sullivan. I had wished to lift my brother from the hearse, but was deliberately denied by Sergeant O’Sullivan. When I reached the inner sanctum of the funeral home the undertaker had already removed the outer housing of the coffin, there was a glass square about eighteen inches by eighteen. 
I saw my dead brother’s face for the last time. I blessed myself and asked the Sacred Heart of Jesus to have mercy on the soul of my brother Michael McGrath. 
      I glanced at Margaret Lynch, her face was impassive and expressionless, she may as well have been staring at a dead mackerel. I knew I had observed the woman who profited most from Michael’s death. I turned and walked out to beside the door, where I sat down and cried for my friend, my brother, I felt weak and desolate. As I was quietly sobbing alone, I faced the wall so no one could see my tears; they were for my brother alone. While I was sitting there, Margaret Lynch McGrath attacked my brother, Peter.
“Who authorised this autopsy?” she demanded.
“We all wanted to know the truth of what happened to Mike!” Peter replied. 
“You had no right to interfere, we are his next of kin and it is none of your business!,” she stated to Michael’s brother! 
Ten minutes later we were back in the car to follow Michael to the Cork University Hospital where he was to spend the night, prior to an autopsy by Dr. Margaret Bolster, on the following morning the 8th January 2007. We were the only people to follow his remains from Dublin or from Mitchelstown to Cork. Not one of his so called family showed the faintest interest or respect for their dead father. We helped unload the coffin and carried it safely into the morgue at the hospital. A young Garda from Bishopstown, was on duty beside the coffin of Michael, our brother and friend, as we left on our sad silent journey home.
On Monday the eight of January 2007 at 10.50am the body of Michael McGrath was formally identified to the Pathologist Dr. Margaret Bolster, who conducted the post mortem in the presence of Scenes of Crime Examiner, Donnacha O’Riordan.
The main findings were:-
(1)	Previous autopsy on the body.
(2)	Incised wound to the right side of the neck with irregular margins.
(3)	Laceration of the jugular vein.
(4)	Minor injuries noted to the body, which could be consistent with falling from a moving vehicle.
(5)	This case is difficult to interpret because of the previous autopsy and time delay.
(6)	The body had been embalmed.                                                                                                           
Hesitation cuts are present in 77% of fatalities in one series of suicides, these were not evident in this case. A right handed person selects the left side of the neck in 80% of cases. The cut was to the right hand side of the neck.  A thorough investigation of the scene is essential in this case in discriminating between homicide and suicide. 
The cause of death:
1A   Haemorrage and shock.
1B   Incised wound to the neck.

Michael McGrath’s body was released to his ex-wife Margaret Lynch at 13:00 hours. His coffin was collected by the undertaker and returned to Mitchelstown at 14:00 hours. It was met at Mitchelstown by the Garda car, who escorted the hearse to Michael’s home in Knockagarry. The Garda car was seen driving in front of the hearse by neighbours and again leaving Michael’s home half an hour later. That evening several cars arrived for this strange event. Michael O’Keeffe was the first to arrive at 6.00pm, followed by his son John accompanied by a special guest; Dr. Shathani and a little later son Noel arrived. Other unidentified guests arrived over the following hour, by 8pm, the entire house was a blaze of lights. Flashing Christmas lights could be seen in the sitting room and loud music could be heard down to the road. The celebration party was in full swing. It lasted until midnight and one by one the cars left; until only two people remained, Margaret Lynch and Michael O’Keeffe. Michael’s elderly mother Mary, his brothers Peter and Tom, not one of his friends or neighbours were invited to this strange event. What other desecration took place that night is known only to those present.
      At 10.30am the following day, the undertaker arrived, ten minutes later the Garda car arrived; they loaded the coffin into the hearse. Sergeant Tony O’Sullivan considered this Garda escort needed his attention and before he left he had a quiet word with Michael O’Keeffe.  O’Keeffe thanked the helpful sergeant and handed him something.  
      At 11.25am the neighbours observed the hearse, preceded by the Garda car leaving Michael’s home and heading towards Mitchelstown. The undertaker parked the hearse with the coffin inside, in his car garage at 11.45am. It remained there until 5.00pm when he quietly drove it to the church. He wheeled Michael’s body into the church and placed the picture Margaret Lynch had provided on top of the coffin. There was no priest present to receive the body and no prayers were said on the strict instructions of the widow.
      The funeral was as described in the previous chapter.  On the day of Michael’s funeral, Kevin McDonnell from the Star on Sunday newspaper; having witnessed his funeral, drove to the Cork University Hospital where Dr. Shathani worked as an intern.  He asked Dr. Shathani why he had not attended the funeral of his friend, Michael McGrath; who had travelled eight thousand miles to attend his ‘wedding’? 
Dr. Shathani Mugoma replied that “I am too busy”, to travel 40 miles for the burial of his ‘friend’. 
When asked if he had ever “received or requested money from Michael”, he replied, “I must get back to work”. He turned and walked away.
  
      The day after Michael’s funeral, 11th January 2007, I called on Sergeant O’Sullivan at Mitchelstown Garda station. I had a list of questions I wanted answers to. I requested that he investigate Dr. Shathani:
1.	Did he get married on the 15th December?
2.	Where is his wife?
3.	When did he return to Ireland?
4.	What funds have been transferred to his account?
5.	What contacts did he have with Margaret Lynch and her family prior to Michael’s death and after?
6.	What phones does he have?
7.	What phones have Margaret Lynch and her family?
8.	The ‘suicide note’ that his family claim to have received, I want this investigated?
9.	Phone no.s that I am aware of:
 Dr. Shathani 087-2031468          Marie 087-9504086    Brid  087-9919492      Address : Haldengrove , Cork.
10.	Dr. Shathani claimed his father died of cancer 3 years ago?
11.	Shathani claimed he had cancer himself and had undergone treatment ?
12.	My brother Michael’s phone numbers.  087-2925563, 086-2051064, 025-24681
13.	Bank account with Bank of Ireland, Mitchelstown.
14.	I asked Sergeant O’Sullivan if he was aware that Dr. Shathani was now back working in the Cork University Hospital and was living in one of my late brother’s houses in Cork? He was surprised to hear that, but said he could do nothing until he got the report from Dr. Bolster on the post mortem.
15.	 I then pointed out serious discrepancies in the reports that had come from various witnesses.
(a)	Policeman Ml. Phiri claimed they kicked down the door to the toilet.
(b)	 Assistant Superintendent Ngwato in reply to the Irish Ambassador Frank Sheridan claimed, ‘the door was quickly opened with a coin’.
(c)	In a phone call with Michael’s friend Patricia, Dr. Shathani claimed Michael had committed suicide using a bottle he broke in the toilet.
(d)	Now we are being told there was ‘hospital renovations’ and that he used louvered glass?                                                                                                        How could there be so many different versions of the same event?

          On Saturday the 13th January I gave a long list of concerns I had about Michael’s death to his local TD, Michael Ahern. On the 15th of January I met Sergeant Tony O’Sullivan to discuss my concerns, I gave him the information on Michael’s mobile phone with the request for money. I told him about the request from Dr. Shathani for 1,000 euros on the 16th September which Michael paid into his UCC bank account on the 20th September. I told him about the travel agent where he had pre-paid his car hire. I requested any news of the post mortem by Dr. Bolster. He said “it would be about three weeks before there was any news depending on how busy Dr. Bolster was in the meantime. She would have to wait for toxicology tests which would be very important in diagnosing the case and they would take extra time.”
He said he was " expecting the ‘Report from Botswana’ through Interpol to arrive any day and he would let me know as soon as it arrived.”  
On the following day he rang to say the report had arrived from Interpol and I arranged to meet him at 12.30pm with my brother, Peter at the Mitchelstown Garda station.

        On the 17th January, Peter and his wife, Kitty and myself met sergeant O’Sullivan at 12.40pm.  He took us upstairs into an office and sat before us with a file open on his desk.  Before he started reading he said, “I should not really be reading this to you, this is a classified Garda document but I want to help you in any way I can, I know what you are going through.”
He began reading. Kitty was taking some notes. He stopped reading.
“I cannot continue, you are recording what I am telling you; I could lose my job, I have a family to support, that’s it I cannot continue.” He closed the file. 
“I said please help us, how can we get to see what is in this document?”
“The superintendent has the authority to give it to you, ask him for it in writing,” he said helpfully.  I still don’t know how he kept a straight face while going through this charade and then topping it off with the comedy of sending me back to Flor Horan.

      On the 8th February I called to see Christine Holohan again.
 She said ‘there are two people with Dr. Shathani, Michael is in fear of his life. They have taken all his money. I can hear him saying “that’s all I have”, “That’s all I have.”
They are shouting at him “ we want more now.”
Michael pleaded with them, “That is all I have, I can get you more when I get back to Ireland.”

I wrote the following letter and hand delivered it to Fermoy Garda station at 3.00pm on the 19-02-2007.
Thomas McGrath, Co.Tipperary.
Attention of Superintendent Flor Horan,
I herby formally request a copy of the ‘Police Report’ on the death of Michael McGrath at Palapye in Botswana on the 12/13th December 2006.  This report has been forwarded to you via Interpol.  I need a copy of this report as soon as possible.

 Signed :    Thomas Mcgrath.

On the 21st of February, I received the following reply from Superintendent Flor Horan.
                              An Garda Siochana
                               Superintendents Office,
                               Fermoy,
                               Co.Cork.
                      Date: 20 February 2007    

Re:  Your Letter of the 19.02.2007.

Dear Mr McGrath,

I acknowledge receipt of your letter of the 19.02.2007.  As our enquiries here have not yet been finalised, I am not in a position to release the report.

  Yours faithfully,
  Flor Horan
Superintendent.

Thus with one short sentence Horan kept us at a distance and prevented us from questioning the contents of the Botswana Police report, which we were later to find out, needed serious questioning. 
On the 14th January I received an email from Fr. Paud O’Donnell, my elderly second cousin who lived all his priesthood in the South of England. He told me he had offered mass for the soul of my brother Michael and would continue to pray for justice for him.

On the 20st of March having discovered there was a new Superintendent in Fermoy, I made an appointment to see Supt. Cadogan at 3.20pm.  Again I was shown up to the spacious office looking out over the river blackwater. Superintendent Cadogan was seated behind his desk. 
He greeted me , “Hello, I am Superintendent Cadogan, what can I do for you?”
“What news have you on the investigation into my brother Michael McGrath’s death?”
“I have no news we are waiting on the results of the post mortem,” he replied dismissively.
“They appear to be taking a very long time,” I replied.
“We have no influence on these matters,” claimed Cadogan.
“What are Dr. Bolsters preliminary findings?” I asked.
“We have no reports from the pathologist,” said Cadogan.
“What progress have you made with your enquiries into Michael’s death?” I asked.
“We are waiting on the reports of the pathologist,” said Cadogan shortly.
“Have you interviewed and got the full details of Michael’s dealings with Shandon Travel at Wilton, who did you interview, how did he pay?" I asked.
“As I already told you we are waiting to get the report from the pathologist and I have only just got details of this case,” said Cadogan.
“What happened at Johannesburg airport, who at National Car Rentals manipulated the car hire, how did Dr. Shathani’s name come to be on the car hire?” I asked.
“The police in Botswana and the Gardai are certain your brother’s death was suicide, there is no point in wasting Garda time until we have a report from the pathologist to suggest otherwise,” replied Cadogan.

             I had other questions on my list but it was pointless asking Superintendent Cadogan who had no interest in this case other than to get rid of me from his office. The unasked questions on my list were:
(1)	Did Shathani have a wedding?
(2)	Where is his bride?
(3)	What nationality is he?
(4)	Have you a full list of everything Michael had in his possession?
(5)	Where or how have Shathani and the widow met since he returned?
(6)	Is he still retaining the free  flat in one of Michael’s houses?
(7)	Did the widow Margaret say how well she knew Shathani?
(8)	How often did they meet prior to Michael’s death?
(9)	How often have they met after his death?
I left the office crestfallen and disappointed. 

                  A week later, I decided to write a handwritten letter to Superintendent Cadogan, dated 28th of March 2007.

Dear Superintendent Cadogan,
                                           I urgently request a copy of the police report, which was forwarded to you from the police in Botswana via Interpol to the Gardai, into the death of my brother Michael McGrath of Hillcrest, Knockagarry, Mitchelstown, Co. Cork.
Having spoken with you on Tuesday the 20th March, you agreed that you had only just got details of the case.  I am certain that Michael was murdered and I hope that you wish to bring the people concerned to justice.

        One of the key witnesses in my brother’s death is Dr. Shathani Muoma.  Michael was lured to Africa to attend Shatani’s  ‘Wedding’ on the 15th December.  I find it strange that the supposed bride is still in Africa 3 months later, when Africans are using every means possible to gain entry to Europe. Dr. Shatani will soon be finished his internship and will disappear before you have done anything to get justice for my murdered brother.

   I therefore request a copy of this report from Botswana immediately so that I can move the case forward as a matter of urgency.
        Yours sincerely,
                  Thomas McGrath

I included a list of questions I believed were relevant and which I believed the Gardai should be asking.
1.	Why did Dr. Shatani claim he did not know Michael’s estranged wife?
2.	Why did he pretend he did not know where she lived?
3.	Why did he pretend he was helping Michael financially?
4.	Why did he go to the police station and not to the hospital with his injured ‘friend’?
5.	Could he explain how Michael could walk unaided on a broken ankle; deeply sedated ( as he was suicidal according to Shathani?), under suicide watch (according to Shathani?), to a toilet, break a pane of glass and cut his own throat without anyone see him leave the ward?
6.	Why had Dr. Shathani Mugoma told Patricia on the 24th December that Michael had used a broken bottle to cut his throat?
7.	How well does he know Margaret Lynch?
8.	How well does he know the Zimbabwean ?
9.	How well does he know the uncle (Jeremiah)?
10.	Who was driving the police van (which just happened to come along , at that time?)
11.	Have the Gardai checked out what the Zimbabwean is doing in Ireland?
12.	Are his papers and passport legitimate?
13.	Where was he at the time of Michael’s death?
14.	What is his connection to the people traffickers?
15.	Did he know the Zimbabwean was Marie McGrath’s boyfriend?
  
 In April I began a systematic search for the best private investigator in all of Africa.  I made a list of requirements that my investigator should have.
(1)	Honesty and integrity
(2)	Experienced investigator
(3)	Above reproach
(4)	Could not be from Botswana
(5)	Ability to get results in difficult cases
(6)	Could not be bribed or frightened off.
(7)	Good understanding of Law.

Then I did an internet search for private investigators in South Africa. I made over 10 detailed phone calls but was not convinced by anyone I spoke with. Next I did a search for solicitors in South Africa. This time I made 7 calls and found I was getting nowhere. I spent days thinking about how I could find an investigator I could trust. I needed local knowledge. I started thinking of everyone I knew who had connections to South Africa. I immediately thought of my friend Bill Keating who had been out there on a rugby holiday. Then I thought of Moss Keane who could have contacts in the rugby world. Then again there was a ban on rugby players going to South Africa during his playing career, so he was unlikely to have any South African contacts. Then I remembered my mother’s first cousin had emigrated to South Africa fifty years ago and was married and had a family but I did not have any contact details. So again I started making telephone calls and by the middle of may 2007, I had finally got a telephone number for my cousin in South Africa. So I rang my cousin Pat and explained who I was and what I wanted.  She was stunned at what I told her and asked me to email her the details and what I wanted. Pat said, “I have never heard anything like it in my life, but I will ask my friends to find who is the best investigator in the whole of South Africa and I will get back to you”.

So on the 16th May I sent this email to Pat.

Dear Pat,
          Thank you for your help, it was wonderful to speak to you, I hope that sometime in the near future that I can get to meet with my cousins in South Africa. Your grandmother was Mary-Ann O’Donnell and my grandfather Tom O’Donnell was her brother.  I will send you a copy of the family tree, you have cousins in the USA and Australia as well as Ireland.
     On the case of Michael, he was separated from his wife and family. We raised enough doubts about his death here that a post mortem was ordered on his body when he returned to Ireland on the 7th January 2007.  There will also be a Coroner’s court inquiry into his death.
     Michael travelled to SA on an Air France flight from Dublin via Paris to Johannesburg on the 6th December.  We established that he was still at Johannesburg Airport on the 9th December, when he rang his travel agent in Cork about his pre-paid car hire.  We were first contacted by his family on the night of 15th December to say that he had been killed in a car accident- drink related!  It was eleven days later I learned it was supposed to be a suicide.
     In a statement to police in Palapye, Dr. Shatani claimed that Michael was distraught because he had personal and financial difficulties and that he Dr. Shatani was helping him financially. That was a lie, Michael had about four million euros worth of property.  He had apartments rented to people in Cork, his income from this was 3,000 euros per week.  It was the opposite of what was actually happening.  I was with Michael on the 16th September 2006, when Dr. Shatani contacted Michael for a loan of a thousand euro to pay a ‘dowry’ to his brides family in Botswana. Michael lodged this money to Shathani’s account on the 20th September.
    On the 22nd November Shathani texted Michael for a further 4,500 euros to pay for his wedding.  Michael lodged this to his account on the 26th November 2006.
   In the list of Michael’s belongings listed by the police, Michael was found to have about 600 euros in various currencies.  Michael had 7,000 euros cash plus travellers cheques with him when he left Ireland on the 6th December.  He was still in Johannesburg on the 9th December, 3 days later he was in Palapye hospital dead with 600 euros on his person?
    In my next email I will expose other lies we uncovered.

20th May 2007
Dear Pat,
           There is a Coroner’s Court enquiry into Michael’s death on Wednesday 30th May in Cork.  The reason I need an honest solicitor to go to the Primary Hospital in Palapye, Botswana, is I want him to find out what occurred at the hospital on the 12th December last.  I am convinced that Michael was dead when he was brought to the hospital. I have a number of questions I want answered.
Who admitted him?
What condition was he in?
What time was he admitted?
Who did he give as his next of kin?
What contact telephone number did he give?
Who treated him?
What did they treat him for?
What treatment and what drugs were administered?
He had a broken ankle, was he x-rayed?
What time did he die?
Who was on suicide watch for him?
Who did he share his ward with?
There is a community of Catholic priests in Palapye, were they contacted when Michael was brought to the hospital, when he was supposed to be still alive?
Sworn statements from everyone who met and treated him in the hospital?
Cousin , 
Tom
P/S  I need to get these questions answered in the next 7 days and if it is found he was dead when he was brought to the hospital.  I will need a sworn affadavit for the Coroner’s Court, so that Shathani can be arrested on the day.
  Back to the question when Michael was admitted to the hospital in Palapye, it is standard practice to ask for telephone numbers of next of kin.  Yet Assistant Superintendent Ngwato had no contact number for Michael’s next of kin.  Which for me sounds like proof he was not alive when he was brought to this hospital!

      On the 22nd may I called to see well known lawyer Frank Buttimer in Cork. I told him the entire story as far as I knew it. I was very impressed by how he had assimilated the facts of the case in just twenty minutes.  He asked me to leave what documentation I had with him. I got a letter from him on Thursday the 24th asking me to make an appointment to come see him. I was at his office on Monday 28th before he arrived for work. I gave him the news that there was to be a Coroner’s Court in Mallow on the 30th May and I asked him to represent us. He said it is very short notice but I will see what I can do. On the 29th May at 4.00pm, I got a call from his secretary to say they could not represent us at this short notice.  So here I was on the eve of this court with no legal representation. I was distraught as I knew nothing about the workings of a Coroner’s Court and I had one hour to find a solicitor and bring him up to date with what we knew.
   My own solicitor, John Brooks was in Australia but I decided there might be somebody there who could represent us anyway, so in desperation I rang.  I was surprised to be put directly onto John.  I told him the situation and he told me “to be at his office at 8.00am next morning and to bring whatever evidence I had”.

Chapter 9 The Coroner’s Court

“I wish to sincerely sympathise with you on the death of your brother, it is clear that you loved Michael deeply”

Coroner Dr. Michael Kennedy

                                               
There was no point contacting the Irish police.  There was a cabal of Gardai, working together, with one aim; there would be no investigation into the death of Michael McGrath. Furthermore they wanted the case closed down as quickly and as permanently as possible. The same policemen kept cropping up at every stage in Michael’s difficulties over the last three years. That was no coincidence as the superintendent Flor Horan, was the man who appointed the officers to carry out various police work.  He knew the correct ones to appoint, he even helped some of them get promoted into more senior positions. I got a report from Don O’Driscoll, that sergeant Tony O’Sullivan came and half heartedly interviewed him about his knowledge of Michael’s home, being staked out while he was in Kentucky at his nephew’s wedding in November 2006.
The sergeant also told him, “the coroner’s court will be the end of the matter.” 
I also got a call from Patricia Ryan, who was interviewed by Garda Denis Ryan and detective Jim Fitzpatrick.  What she told me was deeply disturbing. Garda Ryan said, “Michael McGrath had definitely sexually abused his daughter, the evidence is there.”
Fitzpatrick had said, “the coroner’s court will prove he committed suicide and that will be the end of it all.” 
He also very perversely asked, “If McGrath had shown any interest in her teenage daughters?” 
I was deeply suspicious of what evidence would be produced at the corner’s court, so I set about gathering independent evidence.
On the 20th of May, I began the task of finding an investigator, to find proof of what really happened to Michael.                                                                      


On the 22ndMay, I sent the additional email.

Dear Pat,                                       
                                                                                                                 
I hope you received my emails.  There are some other questions that bother me about Palapye and what occurred there.
There is a community of Catholic priests in Palapye, were they contacted when Michael was brought to the Hospital, when he was still alive?
Going back to the question on my last email.  It is standard practice to ask for telephone numbers of next-of-kin when admitting a patient to any hospital, anywhere. Yet, assistant superintendent Ngwato had no contact number for Michael’s next-of –kin.  Which raises serious questions for me, that maybe he was not alive when he was brought to the hospital.
Cousin,
 Tom
          My cousin was very sympathetic and asked me to give her time.  She would research and come back with an answer to my request, as soon as she had found the right person.

While I was waiting her reply, I met with Frank Buttimer an eminent barrister in Cork. I gave him details of the case and he was intrigued. 
 He said, “this is the most difficult case I have ever come across.” 
 “The murder took place in Botswana: no one can be charged with Michael’s murder in this jurisdiction, furthermore we have no extradition treaty with Botswana, so no one can be extradited back there, it sounds like the perfect murder!” 
“Give me the documentation you have and I will have a read over it.”
 So I gave him all the paper work I had gathered. Two days later I got the news that the coroners court would be held in Mallow on the 30th May 2007. The following morning, Thursday the 28th May I was waiting at his office when Frank Buttimer arrived for work.  I informed him
“that the coroner’s court was now going to be held in Mallow on Friday the 30th May.” 
“You have given me very little notice”, he said, “I will not be able to attend the court.”
“I need someone to represent me and to ask questions of Shathani!” I pleaded.
“Leave it with me and I will see if we can spare someone,” he said. 
 I left feeling confident that because of the serious nature of the case he would send a competent attorney to ask the questions that needed to be answered by Shathani Mugoma.  On the following day, Thursday the 29th at 4.00pm I received a call from Frank’s secretary to say,
“they had nobody available to attend the court in Mallow on Friday the 30th May.”
“You can’t do this to me!” I said, “It’s 4.10pm my brother was murdered and I need someone to ask the questions of Shathani, you cannot leave me down at this late stage.” 
 “I will ring you back,” she said.
 At 4.50pm she rang to say, “I am very sorry but there is nothing I can do, we have nobody.”   
       I was devastated,  I didn’t know where to turn. John Brooks was in Australia, I decided to ring his office anyway.  His secretary said he was just back and as I said it was an emergency, he said to come in straight away. I explained I needed someone to ask questions of Shathani at the coroners the following day in Mallow. He looked at the receipt from Shandon Travel for the car hire and the messages on the mobile phone. He agreed to represent me at the court.
 “Be here in the morning at 8.00am and we will go over the case.” He ordered. 
 At 7.55am I pulled up outside his office. At exactly 8.00am I rang the door bell. For thirty minutes we discussed the details of the case. I told him, how sergeant Tony O’Sullivan had told us Michael had a broken ankle; I said I wanted to know how Michael could walk unaided to a toilet to commit suicide?  
Then he said, “Ok that’s it I will meet you behind at the court house in Mallow at 9.45am.” 
“Thank you John”, I said
“I will be there, I have a few questions I want to ask Shathani myself.”
“If you are asking questions, then I am not going, either I am asking the questions or you are,” he said sharply. 
“I need you to ask the questions, I know nothing about how these things work,” I said. 
“Fine as long as I know where I stand,” he said,
“I will see you there.”
I travelled back to Mallow with my friend Tom O’Gorman.  As we parked in the car park, Margaret Lynch, her daughters Marie and Brid and son Diarmuid pulled up and parked just next to us.  We left them get about forty metres in front of us and we followed them up to the court house.  Shortly after we were joined by John Brooks who informed us that “there were two other cases before our one.”
Some minutes later we were joined by, my brother Peter, his wife Margaret, their son Tom and her cousin Eddy Tobin. My wife Kitty arrived at about the same time and Michael’s friend John Mc Nemara arrived just before 10.00am. The coroner heard the first case in just over half an hour. The second case lasted a little longer.

 At 10.30am we went upstairs to a waiting area outside the court room. Dr Shathani Mugoma, a black lady who was supposedly his wife and a Garda were sitting on a bench along the wall to our right as we came into the hall way. There was no other seating so we stood waiting our turn to be called. I stared at Shathani Mugoma, I wanted to get a good look at the man who killed my brother. 
Immediately the Garda asked me “do you want something?” 
“No,” I said, “Who are you?” 
I am Garda Motherway,” he replied.
“I never heard of you!” I replied, dismissing him as irrelevant to the proceedings which were soon to begin. I continued to stare into the dark pits that were the mirrors of Shathani Mugoma’s pitiless soul. Eventually he could feel that my eyes could see into his evil soul with my unblinking stare and he buried his head in his hands and did not resurface until we were called to go into the court.  I then stared at the lady accompanying Mugoma, she held my stare for a short while but there was a sensitivity in her eyes that was totally lacking in Shathani Mugoma’s.  She too now buried her head in her hands.
My nephew, Tom asked me “If I had any news on ‘Uncle Jeremiah?”
I said, “we have tracked him down and Hillary as well.”
Mugoma sat very still and did not move or make any sound even when breathing.  Shortly after 11.00am we entered the court room.  All Michael’s friends, including Peter and myself sat on the right hand side of the court. Margaret Lynch McGrath and her family sat along the left hand side. She was also accompanied by her friend;  Michael O’Keeffe and his two malevolent sons, John and Noel. To complete the band of evil she had roped in the services of the barrister Dermot Sheehan, who was accompanied by a secretary, loaded down with six bulky lever arch files. Dermot Sheehan, had crow black hair, identical to the dyed black hair of Margaret Lynch.
I thought, how fitting they should use the same black dye. What I did not fully realise until later was that she also had detective Jim Fitzpatrick and Garda Donal Ryan working for her as well. 

Dr Bolster the pathologist was the first on the witness stand. 
Before she began her testimony, the Coroner said “There will be some graphic descriptions which some people may find upsetting, I would advise them to leave now if they feel they do not wish to hear it.” Immediately Marie McGrath and John O’Keeffe left the court.

Dr Bolster began her report.
External Appearance: height; 185cms.
The body is that of a middle aged, Caucasian male. The body is received in a coffin with the name Michael McGrath on the sheet, which is wrapped around the body inside the coffin.  The body has had an autopsy in Botswana prior to receipt of the body.  The body is partially mummified and partially decomposed. There is venous marbling. The body is received unclothed.
The head is partially mummified. The head hair is grey in colour and short. The colour of the eyes is green. There are no petechial haemorrhages in the conjuntive.  Natural teeth are present in the upper and lower jaws. There is a frontal satured post mortem cut extending from both ears up over the frontal part of the scalp. The skin of the forehead, nose, right side of the face and chin are mummified. There is a satured incision from just under the mandible in the midline to the pubis in keeping with a post mortem in Botswana.  There is a venapuncture mark in the right antecubital fossa.
The following external injuries are noted.
Head and Neck:
1.On the right side of the forehead, 5cms to the right of the midline, 2cms above the right eyebrow, there is an obliquely situated laceration, which has been satured, 5cms in length.                                                                                                                                                         
2. On the right parieto-occipital region of the scalp, there is a satured laceration 5cms in length with an abrasion 4 x 9cms in width.                                                                3. On the right side of the neck. 4cms distal to the right ear hole, there is a satured wound. The wound measures 6.5cms in length and extends anteriorly from this, 6cms distal to the right ear hole, there is a superficial incised wound, 3.5cms in length. The wound extends downwards and slightly medially. The upper end,  10cms from the midline at the lateral end of the clavical and the lower end, 4.5cms from the midline. The wound is situated 166cms above the unshod heel. On removing the satures, the margins of the wound appear irregular as far as can be ascertained because of marked drying of the tissue around the wound.

Right Upper Limb:
1. On the dorsum of the right shoulder, there is an abrasion surrounded by bruising over an area of 10 x 8cms.                                                                                                       2. Situated 6cms distal to the shoulder tip, there is an abrasion, 1 x 1cms.                     
3. On the dorsum of the right elbow joint, there is an abrasion with bruising extending from above the elbow joint, inferiorly onto the dorsum and lateral aspect of the forearm, 22cms in length and 20cms in width.                                                                              
4.There is an abrasion on the lateral aspect of the wrist joint, 2.5 x 3cms and just proximal to this, a further abrasion, 1cms.                                                                                                      5. There is bruising covering the dorsum of the wrist joint, the dorsum of the hand and onto the dorsum of the index finger as far as the nail, the dorsum of the middle finger as far as the DIP joint and the dorsum of the index finger as far as the PIP joint and the dorsum of the little finger as far as the nail.                                                                                             
6. On the dorsum of the hand, over the third metacarpo-phalangeal joint, and extending proximally, there is an abrasion 4 x 2cms.                                                                                    7. On the back of the hand between the third and fourth matacarpo-phalangeal joints, there is an abrasion, 0.5cms and just proximal to this another abrasion, 0.2cms.                                            
8. On the back of the middle and ring finger, there are abrasions,2cms each.

Right Lower Limb:
1. On the lateral aspect of the thigh, 30cms above the knee joint, there is bruising covering an area, 10 x 6cms.                                                                                                                    2. Over the right patella, there are two abrasions,1cms each.                                                                   
3. On the lateral aspect, 2cms distal from the knee joint, there is an abrasion, 1.5cms.                                                                                                                                                     4. On the lateral aspect of the shin, 3cms distal to the knee joint, there is bruising covering an area, 12 x 6cms.                                                                                                                    5. Over the lateral malleolus, there is an abrasion, 5 x 3cms surrounded by discolouration, 8 x 6cms.                                                                                                                         6. On the lateral aspect of the knee joint, there is an abrasion, 3 x 2cms.                                                 
7. Over the patella there are three abrasions, 0.5cms.                                                                                  
8. On the lateral aspect of the thigh, 36cms above the knee joint, there is an abrasion, 3 x 0.5cms.                                                                                                                                   9. On the left dorso-lateral aspect of the pelvis, there is a scraping type abrasion, 12 x 15cms.

Left Upper Limb:                                                                                                                                      
1. On the dorsum of the hand, between the second and third, and third and fourth metacarpo-phalangeal joints, there are abrasions, 1cms.                                                                          2. On the index finger there are abrasions,1cms,0.5cms and 0.2cms.                                                         
3. Over the dorsum of the PIP joint of the middle finger,1cms and extending onto the middle phalanx, there is an abrasion, 1.5cms.                                                                                     4. There is an abrasion next to the PIP joint of the small finger, 1cms.                                                    
5. There is an abrasion covering the dorsum of the forearm and extending over the lateral aspect of the elbow joint and superiorly for a distance of 20 x 11cms.                                       
6. On the back of the upper arm, 21cms above the elbow joint, there is an abrasion, 2.5cms x 2cms. Also at 24cms above the elbow joint, there is an abrasion, 10 x 5cms. Again at 30cms there is a 1cms cut and adjacent a 0.5cms cut.                                                                                                                          7. On the anterior aspect of the wrist joint, and extending onto the palm aspect of the hand, there is an abrasion, 5 x 3cms.                                                                                                   8. Over the dorsum of the left upper arm and shoulder and extending over the left scapula, there is a scraping type abrasion covering an area 10 x 9cms.           
                    
Back:                                                                                                                                                          
1. Just to the right of the midline, there is bruising in the supraspinatus musculature over an area 6 x 7cms.                                                                                                          2. In the midline, just above the buttocks, 46cms distal to the nape of the neck, there is subcutaneous bruising , 8 x 6cms.                                                                                                3. Over the lateral aspect of the left buttock, 16cms from the midline, 61cms distal to the left posterior axilla, there is an abrasion 3 x 3cms. 
Internal Examination: Cardiovascular System,  the heart and lung block has been removed from the thoracic cavity and placed in a black plastic bag.

Respiratory System:                                                                                                                                    
Both lungs are healthy. There is an incised wound in the right lateral side of the neck. The lungs are congested and oedematous. Both lungs are shrunken due to fixation. There is a fracture of the sternum.      
                                                                                                                                            
Endocrine System:  both adrenals, thyroid and pituitary are normal.
Central Nervous System:  the skull bones are intact. The brain is present in the black plastic bag and has been cut through. There is no evidence of subarachnoid haemorrhage, coronal slices through the brain show normal grey/white matter. The mid brain, pons and medulla are normal.
Specimens:  range of routine tissues for histology.
No organs retained.
Histology: sections of myocardium shows mild hypertrophy of the myocardial fibres.

Conclusion and Comment:
At autopsy the main findings are;-
a.	Previous autopsy on the body.
b.	Incised wound to the right side of the neck with irregular margins.
c.	Laceration of the jugular vein.
d.	Minor injuries noted to the body, which could be with falling from a moving vehicle.    
 In conclusion then:

a. This case is difficult to interpret because of the previous autopsy and the time delay.                                                                                                                                                                   b. The incised wound is noted to the right side of the neck, with as far as can be ascertained transetion of the jugular vein.  The characteristics of suicides by sharp force, similar to this case is that 67% show more than one injury. Hesitation cuts or tentative marks are present in 77% of fatalities, these were not evident in this case. In 80% of cases where the person is right handed, the injury is inflicted to the left side of the neck. That was not the case here.   
In conclusion then, the wound on the neck whilst not absolutely characteristic of a suicidal cut throat, in that no hesitation marks could be seen and the cut was to the right hand side.  A thorough investigation of the scene is essential in this case in discriminating between homicide and suicide.

Cause of Death:
1a  Haemorrhage and shock                                                                                                                            
1b  Incised wound to the neck.

The coroner asked “if there are any questions for Dr Bolster”. 
The black haired barrister was immediately on his feet. “Dr Bolster, the multipliable abrasions on Michael McGrath’s body, are consistent with, he having thrown himself from a moving vehicle?”
“Yes”, she said, “they are consistent with having fallen from a moving vehicle”.  “Statements supplied by independent witnesses, police and hospital, confirm that it was a definite suicide,” suggested Sheehan. 
“Yes, the statements back up this allegation,” she replied.
“Is the wound on the neck consistent with having been inflicted by broken glass?” asked the barrister.
“Yes.” replied Dr Bolster.
“Then, all the evidence points to a definite suicide,” stated Sheehan. 
“No”, replied Dr Bolster; “based on the facts of evidence, I cannot rule out 3rd party involvement in this man’s death.”
“A thorough investigation of the scene is essential in this case in discriminating between homicide and suicide.”
“But nevertheless, the statements of witnesses points to suicide,” repeated barrister Sheehan. 
“Yes,” answered Dr Bolster.  
He sat down with a smug look, feeling he had earned his fat pay day. 
John Brooks then asked, “Dr Bolster, could Michael McGrath, have walked unaided to the toilet, with a broken ankle?” 
“He did not have a broken ankle,” stated the pathologist.
“You are sure he did not have a broken ankle?” he asked again. 
“He did not have a broken ankle,” she replied. 
There were no further question for Dr Bolster and she stepped down from the witness box. The witness statements we neither saw nor heard until with the help of my South African barrister, I got a copy of the evidence from the Coroner’s Court some weeks later.  

              Dr. Shathani was formally sworn in as he took his place on the witness stand.  At the start of the coroner’s court enquiry, Garda Denis Ryan made a series of grovelling apologies to Dr. Shathani, prior to reading out his statement. Looking towards Dr. Shathani, Ryan said, “ I must apologise in advance to you, Dr. Shathani”. 
 “Dr. Shahtani I must sincerely apologise to you, for there are many words that I may not pronounce correctly.” 
 “I ask you in advance Dr. Shathani to forgive me for any mistakes on my part,” said Garda Ryan. 
 Several times he glanced in the direction of Margaret Lynch McGrath and Michael O’Keeffe while making this long winded triple apology.
 Why was he beholden to these people?  He then read out Shathani’s statement, knowing it was a lie.

Statement of Dr. Shathani Mugoma  DOB: 28/6/1978 taken on 23/3/2007 at Mallow General Hospital by Gda. Denis Ryan
I hereby declare that this statement is true to the best of my knowledge and belief and that I make it knowing that if it is tendered in evidence I will be liable to prosecution if I state in it anything which I know to be false or do not believe to be true.

I am a native of Botswana and I’ve been in Ireland since 2000. I came to study as a doctor and I graduated from UCC in 2006.  I have known Michael McGrath since 2002 when I was tenant in one of his houses at 44 Riverview Estate, Cork. I spent 3 years at that address.  In 2002 I became ill with cancer and I became a good friend of his when he began bringing me to and from treatment for my illness.  At some stage in that year he brought me to Mitchelstown to his home.   I met his family there including his wife Margaret, Bride, Michael, Dermot, Lelia and Maireid (Marie) his children.  In 2003 I went to Mitchelstown again with Michael and we climbed the mountain there, we climbed with Margaret his wife.  His kids didn’t come with us but they were at the house. That was the last time I met his whole family. I kept regular contact with Michael and met him when he came to collect the rent. In 2005 Michael moved me to 50 Summertown Drive, Cork. He moved me because he said, I was going to qualify as a doctor and he said I should be in a better house, he gave me the master bedroom in the house which had it’s own bathroom and he didn’t put up the rent. He kept it at 320 euro a month.   June 2006 on the 14th, I brought Michael to dinner at UCC for the graduation, I had to bring someone, so I brought him. I had no family here at the time. Michael also came to my actual graduation the following day. During the day I told him I was going to get married to my fiancé in December, that year and I invited him to my wedding in Botswana.  He was delighted and he was really looking forward to it.  On the 1st of July I moved to Limerick to live but I kept in regular contact with Michael about the wedding and tickets etc.. In November 2006 I travelled to Mitchelstown to meet Michael to discuss arrangements about the wedding. I met Michael there with his girlfriend Patricia.  Michael told me that he booked his flight to Botswana for the 6-12-2006 and he had his car hire sorted as well and booked.  Michael left on the 6th and I left on the 8th December from Dublin. I had no contact with Michael until I arrived at Johannesburg on the Saturday morning.  When I arrived Michael was already there at the airport waiting for me.  He was in great form and very happy.  Michael and I waited at the airport until my wife arrived. After having travelled by bus at 12 mid day. There was a mix up with the rental cars, at the airport , resulting in me using my visa card to hire Michael’s car.  Michael, my wife and I left in a Nissan Almera hired from Euro International Cars, I think Michael was driving at that point. We left Johannesburg around 1.00pm or so and spent eight hours to reach Gaborone.  We stopped a few times so Michael could see a lot of the animals. We arrived in Gaborone, Botswana at around 9.00pm.  We arranged for Michael to book into the Metcourt Hotel in Gaborone.  We then went to Hogan’s Pub, the Irish pub with Michael.  He had drinks there and was in great form. We stayed there until 12.00 mid night. My wife drove and we dropped Michael at the hotel, my wife and I went home then to sleep. On Sunday then we collected Michael at the Metcourt at 10.00am and we travelled to Serowe my wife’s village.  We met a lot of people there, the guys who would be dancing at the wedding.  Michael enjoyed watching them, he was very happy. That night we booked into a Lodge and stayed there.  Michael stayed out drinking with my brother and a friend.  On Monday the 11th we got up and my wife and I went to meet the District Commissioner to sign. Some family were with us. At around 12.00pm we came back and picked up Michael.  Michael went to the Barclay’s Bank to change some money.  My wife and I left Serowe with Michael who was driving. The drive was 479kms to Moroka. We stopped in Francistown, 79kms from Moroka to do some shopping.  Michael bought some clothes there.  We left there and got to Moroka at 10.00pm it was very dark, there’s no electricity.  We met with my mother. Michael was very happy. We booked into the Lodge in my hometown.  On Tuesday morning the 12th December 2006 we got up and Michael wanted to meet my mother and family again in the daylight, so we did, he was very happy, hugging people. I thought he was enjoying himself.  At 11.00am we left for Francistown, Michael, my wife and me. My wife was driving. We got there at 12.00 and ate lunch. After lunch Michael asked to drive and he did.  We were supposed to go to Francistown Airport to collect our car for the wedding.  On the way there Michael’s mood changed all of a sudden.  He began to cry and asked  “Shatani I want to go back to Ireland”.  I thought it was very strange and then he insisted that he wanted to go back to Ireland straight away, now.  We talked about changing the ticket for him., we explained how impossible it was to change the ticket.  We were going to meet my brother then, after he rang on the phone.  We met him at the filling station in Francistown, where he worked as a nurse.  I told my brother that Michael wanted to go to Ireland now. Then Michael said, “if I can arrive in Ireland alive”.  My brother was in the car at this stage.  Michael was driving.  Michael was upset and said he wanted to pull in and he did. Then he cried a lot before he started talking.
Then he started to tell us about his childhood life, how he grew up, about his life on the farm and his father and brother. (He also told us about how he worked so hard for everything he had, and that his wife was now trying to take everything from him. He also said she was accusing him of molesting Lelia and that he was seeing a Psychologist and  Neurologist and that he was in court a few times already. He said the cost was between 30,000 or 40,000 euros already.  He also said he was under pressure with bills from the bank, gas bills and said he owed around 500,000 euros (half a million).  At that stage he said he had no money in Botswana, he said he had 300 euros,300rand and 700pullas to spend until the 19th.  I told him that I would lend him 5000pullas to help him out to spend in Botswana, so he calmed down then. He said he didn’t want to drive and my wife took over.  My brother left then and shook hands with Michael.  My wife began to drive towards Gaborone.  Michael was in the back of the car. Michael kept saying, “I an very sorry, I am very sorry”. I asked him “why he was sorry”, but he didn’t say why.  He just kept saying, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry”.  We reached Palapye where we had some dinner. After eating we headed towards Gaborone again, with Michael in the back. About thirty minutes of the drive, Michael opened the back door.  At that stage my wife braked in the car. Michael jumped  from the car while it was travelling at 60 – 80 kph.  I could hear him screaming.  He rolled down a sloppy area.  We stopped the car and I went to Michael. I saw he was really bleeding from the head.  He was screaming.  He had some lacerations on his arms and body.  I tried to stop the bleeding by wrapping towels on his head.  He kept screaming, “ leave me alone, leave me alone I want to die”. I tried to calm him down and I told him “he was far from dying”.  Other people started stopping on the side of the road, looking.  I had a lot of blood on my clothes. People started  saying, “leave him alone there’s HIV, leave him alone”.  I kept on helping him.  He stood up and started walking. Then he refused to get in the car, he said he’d mess it up.  Then a prison car came, which is a van owned by the prison. They said they’d help out and take him to hospital.  The prison guards opened the door but they wouldn’t touch him because of the blood, so I helped him into the back. He agreed to go in the van.  He was locked in the back. We drove behind him.
I could see Michael banging his head off the side of the van, at one point he took his belt and put it around his neck and try to hang himself. The prison officers stopped the van and banged on the door. Michael just sat down then and they drove him. The van had to call to the police station at Palapye to get a form to take Michael to hospital. They left with Michael for the hospital then. Me and my wife had to stay at the police station to write what had happened. Around 9.00pm we went to the hospital.  We met Michael and the doctor there. I saw Michael’s head and the cuts on to it.  I spoke to the doctor and explained what had happened. He told me they were going to keep him overnight for observation.  Michael seemed calm then. The doctor told me that the examination was normal. I asked the doctor, “if Michael could be kept in a psychiatric unit until the 19th?” But the doctor said, “they hadn’t a unit available and that he was to be kept for observation overnight and they would see tomorrow.” At that point we took Michael’s clothes from the car and brought them to his ward. I helped him  wash and he put on new clothes. Two policemen were here all the time outside the ward.  Michael looked for coke then. I went to take the coke from the car. When I came back I asked the police where Michael was and they said the bathroom.  I called Michael a few times but he did not answer until I banged the door, then he said, “give me two seconds.” Then he opened the door.  We sat down and we started talking to each other.  I told Michael, “that he should never do that again.”  Then Michael asked me not to tell the doctors or the police what had happened; or he would lose the case with his wife in Ireland.  Then I told him I was very sorry because I had already told everything that had happened to the police and the doctors.  Then he said  there was no problem, because I had a future ahead of me and he told me that, he had already taken enough of my time and to go and do everything I had planned.  I told Michael not to do anything foolish.  We left him after I hugged him and shook his hand.  Myself and my wife took Michael’s car to the police and we went to the train station.  We left Michael at around 11.00pm.  We went back to Gaborone by train.  We didn’t arrive there until 6.00am in the morning.  Just after arriving home the police rang and asked when I was coming to see Michael. Then I told them , I would see Michael at around half four , like I told him yesterday.  Then the police said we want you now as the guy had passed away.  I was shocked.  At first, I thought that it was impossible for anyone to die with police minding you, so I thought it was a rib bleed.  I said nothing for some time, then I asked how did it happen. When he came to the police station at 5.00am, he called the hospital to see how Michael was, and they told him to hold and they would see.  He was told that, they found him in the bathroom dead in a pool of blood.  I really, I was trembling. shaking, I could not believe it.  The police boss explained, “that the hospital was under renovation and that Michael had taken a piece of glass and cut his neck”. He said, “I should come as soon as I can”. I told him that I decided to go ahead with the planning for the wedding and that I would see him in Palapye at half four.  When I arrived to the police that day, I went to the hospital, to find that they sent the body to another hospital. The Safari Hospital because of space or room.  Then they said, I should ID the body on Friday, but I explained about the wedding plans; so they postponed it to Wednesday the 20-12-2006.  On the 20-12-2006, I went to the Princess Marina Hospital where the Pathologist are and ID Michael’s body to the Pathologist. On Thursday 14-12-2006, I was contacted by Mr O’Reilly at the Irish Embassy and I explained everything to him. He said, “unfortunately he was leaving the country on Friday and that, I would be contacted from the Embassy in Mozambique.  I keep on asking myself, what happened or why, he did this to me.  Why did he leave me to tell his story of his life?  It has really traumatised me and I have to change the course of my life over this. This statement has been read over to me and is correct.
       Signed:  Shathani Mugoma
  Witnessed: Denis Ryan
  Witnessed:  James Fitzpatrick, D.Gda.
         Dated:  23-03-2007
      
                            Savingram
From:  Station Commander Palapye          K.Dintwe (Supt)

Tel:  4920241

Fax:  4924348

To:  INTERPOL Gaborone

Ref:  S/C 20/4/2 (3) f                                       January 15, 2007

………………………………………………………………………………………
                               Summary Report of Suicide:
                Subject:                 Michael McGrath Ref:
                                       Inquest No. 21/2006
 Reference is made to your BNCB  114/62 X (9/8)  dated the 5th January 2006 of the above subject.  This office investigated a suicide case of the above subject who finally took his life whilst hospitalised at Palapye Primary Hospital on the 13th December 2006.

Summarily, on the 12th December 2006, the deceased was a passenger on the back seat of a Sedan Registration Number TMJ 615 GP, a Nissan Almera he had hired in South Africa.  This vehicle was driven by his friend’s wife Goreta Odotseng along A1 Road.  Near Radisele Village, the deceased opened the door and jumped off the vehicle which was not travelling at a high speed.  The deceased suffered injuries and was admitted at Palapye Primary Hospital.  This matter was reported to Palapye Police who initiated investigation.  It was during investigation that it was learnt from the friend that the deceased had hinted to be having problems at home.  The deceased’s friend Shathani Mugoma who was the eye witness to this incidence made the police to suspect suicidal behaviour and the Police guarded the then patient who had injuries
           In the early hours of the 13th December 2006 at about 0500 hours, the deceased told the escort nurse and police officers that he wanted to use the bathroom.  He went in there and stayed for a very long time.  The nurse and the police officers suspected something only to force the door open at 0530 hours to find the deceased lying in a pool of blood having a cut on the right side of the neck. He had used glass to cut himself to take his life.  This was reported and investigated by the police who suspected no foul play.

For the convenience of this communication we attach the following documents:
1.	Statements of witnesses.
2.	Post mortem report. 
May you please assist by delivering the necessary documents to the Irish mission in Maputo Mozambique for onward transmission to the family.

Cc: Officer Commanding, No.2 District, Serowe

BP160                                     Statement
I….  Michael Phiri
Age… 26                                                                                Sex…  Male
Present address………….. Lotsane Ward, Palapye
………………………………..Employed as: Special Constable

States:
  I am a fully attested member of the Botswana Police Service. I resumed duty yesterday at 2200 hours under general duties.  I was then deployed by the section leader to escort a certain man who was threatening to commit suicide.  I was accompanied by Constable Kgosintwa and we spent the whole night with that white man.  So, today at around 0530 hours that white man by the name of Michael asked for permission to go to the toilet. We allowed him to do so. We did not suspect anything as he locked the toilet door behind him.  He spent thirty minutes in the toilet until we knocked and he responded by saying “he was coming”.  We then became suspicious when he did not come out and we tried to knock but there was no response. Constable Kgosintwa then took a chair and climbed thereby looking through the window and saw blood all over the toilet. I have to state that the door was difficult to open from the outside.  We told the nurse who was on duty what happened.  We tried to open the door and at last we managed.  We saw that a white man was lying in a pool of blood dead.  When we observed it looked like he used a sharp instrument to cut under his ear as blood was pouring from that wound.
 Signed:  M.Phiri
13th December 2006 at 0630 hours

          Dr Kennedy then addressed some questions of Shathani Mugoma.  “You left Ireland on the 8th of December, what date did you arrive at Johannesburg Airport?”
“I arrived there on the 9th December,” replied Shathani. 
“You were going to Francistown Airport to collect your wedding car, did you collect the car?” asked Dr. Kennedy.
“They did not have a Mercedes at Francistown and we did not pick up a car there, that is why we had to go to Gaborone,” replied Shathani.  
“Did you discuss Michael’s condition with the doctor at Palapye Hospital?”
“Yes, I told him I believed he was clinically depressed and I asked the doctor if he could be kept in a psychiatric unit.”    (A strange request considering that Shathani Mugoma had previously worked in this hospital and knew that they did not have a psychiatric unit.)
“Why wasn’t he kept in a psychiatric unit?” asked Dr. Kennedy.
“There wasn’t a unit available, the nearest psychiatric hospital was  300kms away,” said Shathani.
“How large was the Hospital in Palapye?” asked Dr. Kennedy.
“It is a small Hospital.”
“Is it smaller than Mallow General Hospital?”
“Yes, it is mostly an outpatient hospital?” replied Shatani.
“Would it have 30 to 40 beds?” asked Dr. Kennedy.
“Less than 30, as I explained, it is mostly a day hospital”.( In fact it had just 8 beds).
“Michael asked for a coke?”
“Yes, I got him a coke cola from the car” replied Shatani.
“Where were the policemen, who were keeping Michael under observation?”
“The two policemen were sitting outside the door of the ward.”
“How many people were in the ward?” asked Dr. Kennedy.
“It was a private ward with a bathroom off the passage outside,” answered Shathani.
“Any questions of Shathani Mugoma?” asked Dr. Kennedy.
The raven haired Dermot Sheehan was on his feet immediately, asking deeply loaded, well rehearsed questions, with well prepared answers from Mugoma. 
“There was a problem at the airport, with the deceased’s hire car. What happened?”
“Michael did not have a credit card and I used my visa card to pay the car hire, replied Shathani.
“When Michael McGrath’s mood changed, did he give any indication of why?” asked the barrister.
“He told me that he had a very difficult childhood with his father who was an alcoholic and with his brother Tom; who nearly broke the farm paying for his university education, which he failed and his women, he explained that he was under pressure with bills from the bank, that he owed 500,000 euros, half a million”. “He said that he had no money for his holiday in Botswana, in all currencies he had about 450 euros to last until the 19th December”. “I told him I would lend him 5000 Pula to help him and he calmed down after that”.
“When you drove on again after this incident, where was he sitting?”
“He was sitting alone in the back, directly behind me, my wife was driving,” replied Shathani.
“When Michael threw himself from the car, did he give any indication that he was going to throw himself from the car?”
“No, the first indication I had that something was wrong was when he opened the door; I felt the breeze behind me, at that stage my wife braked, he threw himself from the car.”
“Was he injured?”
“Yes he was bleeding from the head and other wounds, he was screaming, “leave alone, I want to die!”
“I tried to help him, people stopped and started saying, leave him alone, there’s HIV, leave him alone, a prison van stopped and offered to take him to hospital.”
“Were there prisoners in the prison van?” asked Sheehan.
“There were no prisoners and there were two prison officers,” said Shathani.
“Michael agreed to go in the prison van, did you follow behind?”
“Yes, we followed behind, I could see Michael banging his head off the side of the van; then he took his belt and put it around his neck and tried to jam it into the window,” said Shatani.
“How was he trying to hang himself?” said the black hired barrister, labouring the suicide intent aspect of this fiction.
“He was trying to jam the belt with the window, the prison officers stopped the van and banged on the door and he sat down,” replied Shathani
Did anyone try to take the belt from Michael McGrath at this point?” asked Dr. Kennedy.
“No, we did not leave the car and we drove on,” said Shahtani.
“How far were you from the hospital at this point?” asked Dr. Kennedy.
“We were about 5 minutes from the Hospital,” replied Shathani.
“You spoke with the doctor at the hospital?” encouraged Sheehan.
“Yes, I told him I believed Michael was clinically depressed and I asked him if he could put him in a secure psychiatric ward,” replied Shatani.
“What did the doctor say?” asked Sheehan.
“He explained that no psychiatric ward was available,” said Shatani.
“When you left the hospital, the two policemen were on duty outside in the passageway?” asked Sheehan.
“Yes, I hugged Michael and told him I would see him at 4.30pm the following day, and the two policemen were on duty outside the door of the ward,” replied Shathani.
“When the police told you he had committed suicide, what did you think?” asked Sheehan.
“I could not believe that he had burdened me with his suicide, that I was left to tell the story of his life,” replied Shathani.
“That is all, thank you Dr. Shathani”, said Sheehan.

                       John Brooks then asked Shathani Mugoma some questions, on behalf of my brother Peter and myself.
“Dr Shathani, you said that you paid for Michael McGrath’s car hire with your credit card, how could you do this when I have a receipt here from the travel agent, which shows that Michael had prepaid his car hire before he left Ireland?”
“I paid his car hire as he did not have a credit card,” replied Shathani.
“Where is this leading, Mr Brooks”, asked the coroner Dr. Kennedy.
“I am establishing that Dr. Shathani could not have paid Michael McGrath’s car hire, as he had already prepaid his car hire,” replied John Brooks.
“I cannot allow this line of questioning”, said the Coroner, “under section 4, sub- section 2a of the justice bill; the coroners court is only allowed to establish,
a.	Where a person has died!  How a person has died!   When a person has died!                                                                                                                             We are not allowed to place blame , so I cannot allow that line of questioning”, said the Coroner. 
                                                                                               
“When Michael was walking towards the van was he limping?” asked John Brooks.
“No he was not limping,” said Shathani.
“In your statement, you claimed that Michael had money problems, did you ever request money from Michael McGrath”, asked Brooks.
“No”, replied Shahtani.
“Did you ever receive money from Michael McGrath?”, asked Brooks.
“I cannot see where this line of questioning is leading,” said the Coroner.
“Bare with me I am getting to the point, it’s a very important question,” said Brooks.
“Did you ever seek or receive money from Michael McGrath?” asked Brooks.
“No, I never asked for or received money from him,” replied Shathani.
“We have mobile phone evidence, that you sought money from Michael McGrath on the 22nd November, 2006.” said John Brooks.
“I did not seek money from him,” replied Shathani. Gripping the edge of the witness box until his knuckles were turning pale.
“I cannot allow this line of questioning to continue, under section 4, sub-section 2 a of the coroners court inquiry bill,” interjected the Coroner again.
“You did not identify Michael’s body until the 20th December, a full week after Michael died, why did it take so long?” asked John Brooks.
“Because of the proximity of the wedding, I decided to go ahead with the wedding, weddings in Botswana are a three day celebration. The wedding ceremony was held on the 15th and was celebrated at my wife’s village on the 16th and at my home village on the 18th.  So I went to Princess Marina Hospital on the 20th to ID him to the pathologist,” said Shathani.

“Do you have any questions, you would like to ask Dr. Shathani?” asked the Coroner, looking directly at me.
“Do you mean me?” I replied. I was not expecting to be allowed to ask any questions. I had so many questions, I could not even begin to sort them out, without notice. I believed every sentence in Shathani’s statement contained lies.
“Yes, have you any questions,” said the Coroner Dr. Kennedy.
“Yes. I do”, I said getting to my feet and moving forward to the front of the court, directly in front of Shathani Mugoma.
“At what time, did you bring Michael’s body to the hospital?” I asked Shathani.
He pretended he could not hear me. I repeated the question. Again he did not answer.
“Why is he not answering my question?” I asked the Coroner.
John Brooks intervened, he addressed this question to Shahtani.
“What time of the day was it, when Michael was brought to the hospital?”
A relieved Shathani immediately answered.
“Oh, sometime between 5.00 and 7.00pm”, he shrugged, dismissing this as a trivial question of no importance. To me it was very significant, that an event this traumatic was not even worthy of a glance at his watch at some point to see what time it was.  
Next I asked, “who admitted Michael to the hospital?” 
Again Mugoma refused to answer and looked blankly at me. Again John Brooks put the question to Shathani.
“I was not present as I was making a report at the police station,” replied Shahtani.
Next I asked, what time later did you go to the hospital?”
Again he refused to answer me and John Brooks repeated the question.
“It was about two hours later,” replied Shathani.
I had more questions, but as Shathani did not answer any of my questions except through a third party, I gave up. I could not think anymore except now that, surely he could not get away with so many identifiable lies. I turned and sat down. 

      I had been totally left in the dark about the contents of the police report from Botswana and the Mitchelstown Gardai left me totally unaware of anything in Shathani Mugoma’s statement. I was overwhelmed by the number of lies that were contained in the Botswana Report and Mugoma’s statement.   When I had time to reflect on the contents of Shathani Mugoma’s statement and his reaction to the questions about the car hire and requests for money, it made me suspect that the Mitchelstown Gardai had alerted him to the actual evidence in my possession. So he deliberately turned the evidence on its head by claiming he paid the car hire and loaned money to Michael.  Someone with a knowledge of coroner’s court law had advised him ‘that we would not be allowed to produce our evidence in court’. 

Dr Kennedy then began his summary.
“Dr Bolster gave evidence that 33%  of suicides by sharp force show only one injury. 77% of cases of suicide show hesitation or tentative marks- these were not present in this case.  The classical site for a suicide cut throat wound is on the side of the neck, commencing just below the ear and moving downwards towards the front of the neck. A right handed person usually selecting the left hand side of the neck and vice versa though this is not always case. Mr McGrath was right handed; the incised wound was to the right hand side of the neck”. 

“In conclusion then, the wound on the neck whilst not absolutely characteristic of a suicidal cut throat, in that no hesitation cuts could be seen and the laceration is on the same side as the dominant hand”. The verdict then is: “Suicide can never be presumed but must be based on evidence that the deceased intended to take his own life beyond a reasonable doubt. If it is not proved by evidence beyond a reasonable doubt, it is the duty of the Coroner not to find suicide but to find an open verdict. Lord Widgery CI in Rv London Coroner, ex parte Barber (1975) WLR 1310. The verdict in this case is therefore an Open Verdict.”

        Immediately, Barrister Sheehan was on his feet. “I must object strongly to this verdict,” he blustered. "There is evidence from independent police witnesses that he committed suicide. The result of the investigation by Superintendent Dintwe, Station Commander at Palapye police station was undeniable suicide. The result of the post mortem carried out at the Princess Marina Hospital in Botswana recorded the death as suicide, a death certificate has been issued by the Botswana authorities, certifying suicide”, said Sheehan.
       “I must remind the honourable gentleman, that Dr. Bolster is of the opinion that a thorough investigation of the scene is essential in this case in discriminating between homicide and suicide, she cannot rule out third party involvement. Lord Widgery in his judgement in the Barber case WLR 1310, says that suicide can never be presumed and if it is not proved by evidence beyond a reasonable doubt; it is the duty of the Coroner not to find suicide but to find an open verdict. The verdict in this case is an Open Verdict,” stated the Coroner Dr. Michael Kennedy. He then left his bench and came directly to me and shook my hand. “I wish to sincerely sympathise with you on the death of your brother, it is clear that you loved Michael deeply.” 
“Thank you very much Dr. Kennedy,” I said. “I do appreciate your kindness, thank you.” 
He then sympathised with my wife Kitty, my brother Peter, his wife Margaret, my nephew Tom McGrath and Michael’s friends Tom O’Gorman, Eddy Tobin and John McNemara.  

 John Brooks came over and said he wished to speak to Peter and myself. “Lets go downstairs and see if we can find an empty room,” leading us downstairs to an empty room off the hallway.
“Where do we go from here?” he asked.
“I don’t think we can go any further”, said Peter.
“This is the end it’s an open verdict. He clearly told lies,” said John Brooks. 
“I think I could have cracked him if I was allowed to continue with my line of questions; he was definitely rattled.”
“There must be something we can do,” I said, “he just cannot get away with so many lies. Everything he said was a lie.”
There was a knock on the door and Garda Ryan, beckoned John Brooks to come out. He spoke with him for two minutes and John Brooks returned.
“The police have a complaint that photographs were taken inside the precincts of the court house, that is a very serious offence,” he said.
“No one took pictures,” I said. 
“That’s just another lie to add to all the other lies we have heard here today.” 
“The police are saying that you took pictures inside the court house,” he said.
“I took no pictures, they are lying again,” I said.
“OK, we will have to think about where we go from here, come in and see me tomorrow at 11.00am.” 
“OK, we will be there, “ I said and he left. 

       Meanwhile, a special show was taking place for our family and friends who were waiting for us outside the front door of the courthouse. Detective Jim Fitzpatrick, had rushed out the front door of the courthouse talking into his mobile phone. He saw who was there, then he rushed back into the courthouse and himself and Garda Denis Ryan, shepherded the ‘in danger of their lives’, Dr Shatani, a black lady Friend,  Margaret Lynch, Michael O’Keeffe, John O’Keeffe, Noel O’Keeffe, Marie McGrath and her siblings, Brid and Diarmuid and for good measure Dermot Sheehan and his waddling sidekick. They escorted the motley group back to their cars and then using the detective’s police car escorted them out of the car park to an unknown destination.
     I went to the Hibernian Hotel for dinner along with the other souls, who cared about my dead brother. We celebrated a small victory over the Dr. Shathani and the Black widow gang. The Open Verdict gave me hope; that we had a platform on which to build the case, for the murder of Michael my poor unfortunate brother, who had walked straight into a trap of pure evil.  
     In the days after the coroners court I was devastated that Shathani had got away with very blatant lies, with the full connivance of the Gardai. I still could not get my head around the fact that we had a receipt for Michael’s hire car and were not allowed to produce it to contradict the lies of Shathani. Nor were we allowed to produce Michael’s mobile phone which clearly showed that Michael had given Shathani Mugoma the money to pay for his wedding.

       I rang Christine Holohan and told her what had happened. She said she was unable to contact my brother’s spirit but that I should make contact with Nuala who would be able to help me. I rang Nuala at her home in Co. Meath and made an appointment to see her at 2.00pm on Wednesday the 6th June. I asked my brother Peter, if he would come with me, he refused. His wife Margaret agreed to come in his place. Peter had objected to her going, he said I was consorting with the devil, talking to the dead. Margaret took her rosary and a bottle of Lourdes water with her. She said she would know if the clairvoyant was in contact with good or evil. Nuala brought us into her prayer room and took a sealed envelope with Michael’s picture and the names of people I believed were involved in his murder. I sat at the table with her and Margaret sat at the far side of the room. 
She said, “Michael was definitely murdered, he wants you to know he did not commit suicide.”  
“Can he tell us anything which will help us to break open this case?” I asked. 
“He said the name Lassie is very important,” she replied.
“What does the name Lassie mean?” she inquired. 
“I know he had two labrodor dogs but I never took any notice of them, one of them could be called Lassie,” I said. “I really cannot help you it doesn’t mean anything to me.” 
“He is repeating the name Lassie, he said it is very important,” she replied.
“I am sorry, I said it means nothing to me, I wish I had taken more notice of what name he called his dogs,” I replied. 
Margaret who had been sitting silently at the other side of the room, while Nuala and I were unable to make sense of this strange information, finally spoke. 
“I know what he means.” She said, “he often referred to his second daughter, Marie,- as a right Lassie.” 
This revelation amazed me, I did not know and Nuala could not have known this from any living person. She was in contact with Michael’s spirit and he was pointing his finger at the person who organised his murder.
“He said he never harmed his daughter and he wants you to clear his name,” she said. “He does not want his name dishonoured”.

           It was two weeks before my cousin Pat came back with the name of my investigator,- Jenny Wild. By then the coroner’s court had taken place and I was certain that I could identify many lies in Shatani Mugoma’s statement. My cousin had explained the complexities of the case to Jenny Wild.  Jenny told her to have me contact her directly, by email in the first instance, summarising the case so far and giving details of what I required done.  She also gave me her telephone number and said I could telephone her, after I had sent the details of the case.  Finally I got to speak to Jenny on the telephone. She said “before we begin I have two conditions that you must agree before I take on this case:
First if I find that your brother committed suicide, will you accept my findings?” 
“Yes! I only want the truth,” I replied. 
"Second, you must not interfere with my investigation." 
“That would be impossible, I am 8,000 miles away and would not know where to start,” I replied.
She had some questions for me:
Did Michael have money problems?
Did he suffer from depression?
Did I have proof that he had prepaid his car hire?
Could I get a copy of Shatani’s sworn statement to the Coroner’s court?

I had questions for Jenny Wild.
How would she get the truth from the Palapye police who were clearly lying?
If she did not get cooperation from the Botswana authorities, what could she do?
How long would the investigation last?
What would the investigation cost?

On the 7th June2007, I received this email from Jenny.
Dear Tom,
 Thank you for the four emails, I received today.
Can you furnish me with:
(1)	Shatani’s sworn testimony;
(2)	Copies from the Travel Agent of all itineraries and bookings.
(3)	To whom was Michael’s passport returned?
Regards,
          Jenny.    
   
I immediately set about getting a copy of Shathani Mugoma’s  sworn statement. I called to see sergeant Tony O’Sullivan. 
He said, “he could not give me a copy of Shathani’s statement as it was a court document.”  
I asked him, “if the Gardai would be prosecuting Shatani for perjury?”
“There is no such thing as perjury,” replied sergeant O’Sullivan.
“There definitely is,” I replied.
“Why would they bother swearing anybody in if it means nothing?” I replied. 
He said, “perjury is a very difficult case to prove and we are not in a position to do so.” 
I said, “you have the information on Michael’s phone, you have the receipt from the travel agent; that constitutes definite perjury, what more proof do you require?” 
He said, “perjury is not as simple as that, it is a very difficult case to prove and you haven’t got the evidence, that would be required to prove the case.”
I said, “this whole case stinks, my brother has been murdered and nobody in this police station is doing anything about it, I believe you are presiding over a very corrupt station in Mitchelstown.”
“That is a very unfair comment from you,” said Sergeant O’ Sullivan. 
“It’s the truth because I haven’t received one single bit of cooperation from the Gardai, since this case began.” 
“Goodbye, I will not bother you again.”
I got up and left. I went straight to Fermoy and asked to see Superintendent Con Cadogan. He said he was too busy and to come back on Monday at 3.00pm.

On the morning of the 11th June I had met the social worker who assured me that Michael had never abused his daughter. I decided I would not confront the Gardai with this new information and kept it to myself. I returned to Fermoy Garda station on the 11th June at 3.00pm, I explained that, “I had hired an investigator to find out what had happened to my brother and that I needed a copy of Shatani’s sworn statement.” 
He said, “these are official court documents and are part of a police investigation, legally I cannot give them to you.” 
“Is there an enquiry into Shathani’s perjury at the coroner’s court?" I asked.
“No, there is no evidence that Shathani committed perjury,” he stated.
“There is something very wrong about this whole case, is there anyway, I can get a copy of Shathani’s statement?” I said.
“You could go to the High Court and request the documents you require,” said Cadogan.  
I drove straight to Mitchelstown and asked to see John Brooks. His secretary made an appointment for me to see him on Thursday the 12th June, as it was the earliest he could fit me in. I sent an email to Jenny explaining the difficulties I was having in getting Shathani’s statement. 

Dear Jenny,
  I am having difficulty getting Shatani’s sworn testimony, even though it was read out in public coroner’s court. The police in Ireland said I must go to the Irish High Court to get a copy. I will speak to my solicitor John Brooks about it. I will send you details tomorrow of Michael’s travel arrangements. All Michael’s personal effects were returned to his estranged wife, including his passport. I have a meeting with the secretary of the Irish department of Foreign Affairs in Dublin later this week. I want him to take this case up with the Government of Botswana. I will contact you with whatever information I get from my solicitor tomorrow.  If you wish, I can get him to talk directly with you.
Kind regards,
            Tom

She sent me the following reply.

Dear Tom,
      I am surprised to hear you are having difficulty acquiring testimony delivered at a public hearing. I have assembled an appropriate team to investigate Michael’s death. It includes a very experienced retired policeman, George Webster.  A solicitor, Craig Preston-White,  a medical practitioner with investigative forensic expertise. Brian Cutler, a former attorney and my partner, who instructed me in the Goldstone Commission and myself.
      On the basis that the estimate for a complete and thorough investigation set out below is acceptable, George, Brian and I will depart for Botswana on 24th June 2007. We will collect records and evidential statements as we meticulously re-trace Michael’s path leading up to his death and establish the full circumstances thereof.  No stone (or any part thereof) will remain unturned.  All documentary evidence gathered including statements, reports, affidavits etc will be gathered and collated in a manner appropriate to form the basis of a prosecution docket against any person/persons we establish to be complicit in Michael’s demise.  All the fruits of our work will be your property and we will follow your instructions with respect to it’s use.
Payment for the investigation should be made into the trust account of solicitor Craig Preston, to whom I am professionally obliged to account with respect to the fees of the team, including myself.
 The details of the trust account of solicitor, Craig Preston are:


I estimate that the investigation will cost about Stg £10,000.00.  I hope that this is acceptable.  This figure will include investigating Shatani and Michael’s estranged wife, Margaret Lynch.

I sent Jenny this reply.

Dear Jenny,
  I have just two questions before I transfer the money for the investigation.
(1)	The 10,000 is that euros or is it pounds sterling?
(2)	 If when you get to Botswana, these people refuse to talk to you or cooperate with your investigation, what happens then?                                                                                   Please reply as soon as possible, I wish to finalise everything in the next few days.
Kind Regards, 
   Tom.

Jenny replied as follows.

Dear Tom,
1.	Pounds sterling.
2.	We will compel their compliance on local, National and International level. I am a Barrister. Craig is a solicitor. Brian is a former solicitor and investigator. George is a former Selous Scout and a policeman with Interpol contacts. For the money you are spending, I will acquire Court Orders to compel compliance if I have to.  I have been supported in previous work by Amnesty International, Norwegian Aid for Peace, the Maurice Webb Research Unit, Natal Violence Monitor and J.U.S.T. (Justice Under State Transformation). I will not hesitate to seek their support and assistance in your investigation.  I worked in Pretoria for the South African Ministry of Intelligence Services.  As your local contacts will confirm, I am tenacious in seeking the truth and will not accept “No” for an answer.
 Regards,
 Jenny.

             On the Thursday I met with Joe Hackett at Hainault House and gave him details of the case. He said he was unable to intervene in Michael’s case as it was a police matter, but he said if the Foreign Office could help in any way, they would.  In the end his offer of help was of limited or no value.  (Some months later, when I did seek his help in getting the Hospital Records from Botswana, it unearthed some surprising results).  I left Dublin at 4.14pm and made good progress as far as Portlaoise. Fifteen miles short of Portlaoise, the engine started to boil over.  I climbed out and made my way onto an overpass, where I found some discarded litre bottles. I went into a farmers field and filled the bottles with water. I poured the water into the radiator and could see the water flowing out again. I had a burst water pipe, so I rang my friend Tom O’Gorman and asked him to tow us home. He said, “he would be with us in two hours”, it was now 6.00pm.  I filled the water bottles again and stated the car and got up to sixty mph. I then slipped it out of gear, turned off the engine and left it free wheel for about a mile.  I poured more water into the radiator and repeated the process until I ran out of water. Anywhere I thought I could get water I stopped and filled the bottles again. My feet were soaking wet from the wet grass, as it had rained earlier that day.  I found a five litre container discarded on the side of the road, and I called into a farmer just beyond Portlaoise and he kindly filled all my water bottles.  I made better progress, driving and freewheeling, then topping up with water every other mile. We had covered about thirty miles when we met Tom O’Gorman at Abbeyleix.  He connected my car up to his land cruiser with a rope.  It was a nerve wrecking two hour drive; because my brakes did not work unless the engine was running  and I could not let the engine run as it would overheat. So I had to anticipate every time Tom would break and temporarily start the engine, then shut down again when the danger had passed. It was totally dark when we finally arrived home at 11.30pm. I had no lights either as the battery was low from the constant stop start driving, the strain left me totally shattered.
        I believed Satan was on overtime protecting his son, Shathani. It is no coincidence that when you take the letters h and i out of his name, you are left with the words – Hi Satan. That Shathani had betrayed my brother and set up his murder, now he was being protected by a network of strange bedfellows. I was wondering if I would ever untangle the web of conspirators who were out to protect each other. They were quite arrogant in disregarding my evidence, and the information I had gathered. Everywhere I went, I appeared to have new obstacles to overcome. Even my car breaking down on the way back from Dublin after a very long trying day. I had a cup of tea and went straight to bed, cold and exhausted.

Referring back to Dr Shathani Mugoma’s statement taken by Garda Denis Ryan and Detective Jim Fitzpatrick on the 23rd February 2007; it is most interesting to note that on the 11th February 2007, Shatani Mugoma flew to Johannesburg on flight BP 204 and returned again on the same day on flight AF 992.  It was important enough for him to fly all the way there and back to meet someone for a few hours before he gave his statement to the Mitchelstown Gardai and before any statements from the Palapye police arrived???
                                                                                                                                                                    


                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                           

Chapter 10 The Child Protection Agency

The day after the Coroner’s Court, there was a front page report in The Corkman, on the outcome of the court in an article by reporter Maria Herlihy. 

In 1.5cm high letters it read:
Open Verdict on Death of Mitchelstown man who died in Botswana.
Pathologist ‘cannot rule out the possibility’ of a third party involvement in death of  Michael McGrath.
Pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster told an inquest in Mallow on Wednesday that she “could not rule out” the possibility of a third party being involved in the death of a Mitchelstown man in Botswana on December 13, 2006.
 52-year-old Michael McGrath of Knockagarry, Mitchelstown was found  in his bathroom in the Palapye Primary Hospital in Botswana by two police officers, who were stationed there to ‘protect him from himself,’ and found him with a deep laceration to his throat, inflicted by glass, between 5.00 and 5.30am.
      Dr. Shathani Mugoma said he had known the deceased since 2002, when he rented property from him when he was undertaking his medical studies in Cork.  Mugoma had invited Mr McGrath to stay with him in Botswana for the ‘wedding’. Mr McGrath left for Botswana on December 6 and he said his form was very good until December 12, when his ‘mood changed’.
  “Michael said he wanted to go back to Ireland and said ‘if I arrive safely’. He also said he only had 450 euro with him and that he didn’t have enough money for the rest of the holiday” said Dr. Shathani.
He said on December 12 his fiancée, Gorata Ogotseng, was driving when suddenly he felt a gush of air and found Mr. McGrath, a backseat passenger, had thrown himself from the car. He was bleeding, said Dr. Mugoma, but refused to get back into the car.
Co-incidentally, a prison van stopped and offered assistance and, he said, Mr. McGrath went into the van.  While in the van, he said, Mr. McGrath attempted to take his own life by using a belt. Dr. Mugoma said he felt Mr. McGrath was clinically depressed and told doctors at the Palapye Primary Hospital.  He said before he left he shook Mr. McGrath’s hand and hugged him and felt he was calm. 
Later he got a call from police to say Mr. McGrath had died in his bathroom. He said the officers were stationed at the hospital to protect him from himself.
  John Brooks BL said Mr. McGrath was a man who carried between 6000 and 7000 euros cash at all times.  Mr. Brooks BL representing Peter and Tom McGrath, brothers of the deceased, alleged there was a text message on the deceased’s mobile “looking for money for a wedding”.  Coroner Dr. Kennedy said, “this was not relevant to the inquest sitting and requested that it be moved on”.
  A statement read by Garda Ryan, given by police officer Michael Phiri, who was one of two officers observing the deceased, stated he requested to use the bathroom and did not come out.  They kicked down the door and found him in a bloodied state.
  Dr. Bolster said she carried out a second post mortem at the request of the family on January 8th 2007 and said it was difficult to interpret the cause of death because of the previous post mortem.  Dr. Bolster said statements from the police was that of a self-inflicted wound and the cause of death was haemorrhage and shock. However, she could not rule out the possibility that a third party was involved, but she said the statements given were consistent with that of suicide.
  Mr. McGrath who was right handed, had a wound extending from his right hand side jawline across his jugular to the left hand side.  Dr. Bolster said she has personally come across cases where a right handed person has previously inflicted such a wound.
  Dr. Kennedy said an inquest has to prove that it was suicide beyond all reasonable doubt but, as the inquest did not have access to the hospital records in Botswana, he recorded an open verdict. 


On Monday the 4th June, I called to the office of The Corkman and spoke with the reporter, Maria Herlihy. She was a tall very pretty young woman with long curly black hair, pale white skin and bright hazel eyes. She had an alertness about her which was quite striking. I told her of my direct knowledge, that on the 20th September 2006, Michael had transferred money into Dr. Shatani’s bank account at Bank of Ireland, UCC. I showed her the messages on Michael’s mobile phone. I showed her the receipt for Michael’s car hire from the travel agent. I told her I was certain Michael had been murdered. She agreed to do a further article about Michael on the 7th June.  The article appeared on the front page, with the headline.
                                       
                                    My Brother was murdered 
 ‘Mitchelstown man rejects verdict’ by Maria Herlihy.
 A man claimed this week that his late brother who was found in a hospital bathroom with a deep laceration to his throat inflicted by glass in Botswana was murdered, despite an inquest sitting last week recording an open verdict.
  Michael McGrath(52) from Knockagarry, Mitchelstown was found in his bathroom in the Palapye Hospital by two police officers on December 13, 2006.  However this week Tom McGrath said: “I really believe that Michael was murdered and whoever carried it out was highly skilled and knew what they were at”. At the inquest sitting last week, Dr Shatani Mugoma, who invited Mr McGrath to his wedding, said Michael was in good spirits but on December 12 his mood suddenly changed.  Dr Shatani said Mr McGrath had thrown himself from their rented car and he was taken to the Palapye Hospital.
  Dr Shatani said that Mr McGrath had told him that he had money worries and did not have enough money on holiday. Dr Shatani said he had told staff that he felt Mr McGrath was clinically depressed. The next morning Dr Shatani said he received a call to say Mr McGrath had taken his life in his hospital bathroom.
   However, Mr Tom McGrath told The Corkman that while the inquest sitting heard that his brother claimed to have money worries, he said his late brother was a multi-millionaire, having at least 4,000,000 euros worth of property.  Michael always carried at least 6000 – 7000 euros in cash everywhere he went.  He had great plans for the future and he was a fighter”, said Tom McGrath.
  While a post-mortem was carried out in Botswana, the family requested a second post-mortem to be undertaken in Ireland.  At last week’s inquest, Dr. Margaret Bolster said while she could not rule out the possibility of a third party being involved in Mr. McGrath’s death, she did add that it was difficult to interpret the cause of death because of the previous post-mortem and the time delay factor.
  However, she said that statements given were consistent with that of suicide.  Mr. Tom McGrath believes Dr. Bolster not ruling out a third party involvement was “very significant”.
  “Michael had one single cut across the carotid artery.  This seems to me  to be someone who knew what they were doing.  Michael was six foot tall and had great strength.  I feel he was given something which made him unable to protect himself,” said Mr. McGrath.
  He said he is now considering sending a legal representative to Botswana to unravel hospital documents which were not furnished at last week’s inquest in Mallow.

             On the days after the coroners court, I was devastated. I could see there was a close relationship between the Gardai and Margaret Lynch.  The Gardai had clearly supplied information I had given to them in confidence to Dr. Shahtani, so that he could tailor his story to fit the facts. It was also very obvious that they had not investigated the evidence about the travel agency or Shathani’s bank account at UCC, into which Michael had paid money on at least two occasions. 
        I was also surprised that the Coroner refused John Brooks permission to question Dr. Shathani Mugoma.  I always thought that the prime function of every court is to establish the truth. In this respect our solicitor John Brooks was prevented from establishing that the principal witness to the court, Shathani Mugoma was telling substantial lies while under oath and was therefore an unreliable witness; accordingly his evidence should have been totally discounted. John Brooks had Mugoma rattled, he was gripping the rail in front of him until his knuckles turned white. He was not expecting to be confronted with evidence of his lies.  John Brooks held the receipt in his hand which confirmed that Michael McGrath had pre-paid his car hire in Ireland when he booked his flight. He had Michael’s mobile phone which showed that Michael had loaned money to Dr. Shathani, but he was not allowed to introduce this factual evidence. Dr. Shathani Mugoma was the star witness for the Mitchelstown Gardai and their boss Superintendent Flor Horan. John Brooks did a very good job of questioning Dr. Shathani and if he had been allowed to proceed, it would have changed the outcome of the Court’s verdict. The implications for a discredited Dr. Shathani Mugoma for the Gardai are immense.
        Next I decided to demolish one of the other myths the Gardai were so anxious to promote about Michael. That he was a child abuser and pedophile.  I had met a lady in Fermoy in mid May, who worked as a social worker in the department of health.  I called to her home on the 7th June 2007 and explained what I needed to do and asked how could I go about it.
 “You need to make a report to the Duty Social Worker of the area where the child lives. She will then take the appropriate action.” 
I thanked her for her advice and she wished me well in my quest for the truth. I returned home and set about writing a statement for the officer in the Child Protection and Welfare Department.  In this case it was the South Lee Social Work Department.

Thomas McGrath,
Co. Tipperary,
11-06-2007 

To the Duty Social Worker,
            I would like to draw attention to the grave concerns I have, for the welfare of my niece, Lelia McGrath, daughter of the late Michael McGrath of Hillcrest, Knockagarry, Mitchelstown, Co.Cork.  Lelia McGrath lives with her mother, Margaret McGrath in one of Michael’s houses in the Bishopstown area. (It may be 23 Haldengrove?)  Before he was murdered in Southern Africa/Botswana on the 12/13th December 2006, Michael was accused of sexually abusing Lelia.  No evidence was produced to back this allegation.  Both Michael’s solicitor, Noel O’Doherty and his physician,- Michael Herlihy firmly believe, that Michael was neither a paedophile or suicidal.  A file of sorts was produced by Gardai in Fermoy/ Mitchelstown stations and forwarded to the DPP.  Michael received a letter from the DPP confirming that he had no case to answer.  I am aware that the psychologist who produced the original report on which the abuse case against Michael was based, examined Lelia for 10 minutes.  I am asking for a proper and thorough investigation by a suitably qualified clinical investigative psychologist, someone independent of all those involved in this case previously.
    Lelia is now about 17 years old, she is slightly handicapped physically and mentally.  She has lost her father, the only person concerned for her welfare.  When she was between one and two years old, she was unable to walk.  Her mother made no effort to help her and Michael spent hours every day helping her to walk.  He often came in from the fields to find the child in a dirty nappy.  Margaret McGrath never had any emotional attachment to her during the years they lived with Michael at Knockagarry until July 2004.  When she started school, Michael drove and collected her; Michael cared deeply for his disabled daughter.  He spoke openly of creating a trust fund to take care of Lelia when he eventually passed on.   He promised that the other members of his estranged family would not get a cent of his estate, valued at over four million euros.
    Back in 2003 when Margaret Lynch McGrath’s sister, Mrs. Micheal O’Keeffe of Island, Carrignavar, Co.Cork was dieing of cancer, Margaret would go to Michael O’Keeffe’s house to ‘nurse’ her sister.  She insisted on taking Lelia with her and regularly returned at 3.00am with Lelia, even though she knew the child had school the following day. It was bizarre behaviour and Michael referred about it to me on a number of occasions in the last two years. Lelia’s mother, Margaret McGrath is a very cunning and deeply manipulative woman, without conscience.
  Michael McGrath was buried on the 10th January 2007.   An open verdict  was recorded at the coroners court inquest, in Mallow on Wednesday 30th May 2007.  His estranged wife, was represented at the inquest by a barrister, who tried to get the coroner to bring in a verdict of suicide.  She was accompanied at the inquest,  by her ‘boyfriend’, Michael O’Keeffe.  On the day of Michael’s funeral, among many strange behaviours,  Lelia was dressed as a child of 5 or 6 not as a young adult.  It looked as if she was dressed for the gratification of a paedophile. I am deeply concerned about this vulnerable child, who is unable to protect herself.  I want her welfare to be treated as a matter of immediate importance.  I believe she continues to be abused since my brothers death. I am formally asking the HSE to protect this innocent child, to identify who is abusing her and to ensure Lelia McGrath’s safety and welfare now.
Signed:  Thomas McGrath.

I travelled to Cork with the above statement and made my way to the Child Protection and Welfare office at St. Finbarr’s  Hospital.  St Finbarrs is an old hospital, it was the major hospital in Cork until the new Cork University Hospital was built in the 1970’s. It is made up of several units, which are scattered out over a large area. The Child Protection unit is discreetly tucked away in the far left hand corner of the grounds.  I asked for the duty welfare officer and was asked by the receptionist, why I wished to see him. 
I said, “I am deeply concerned about the welfare of my murdered brother’s disabled daughter, Lelia.”
She went into a back room and spoke with some one and a few minutes later a man appeared and asked me to come to his office. He took my letter and read it. 
He said, “How much do you know about this case?” 
“Not very much, except that my brother had been arrested and charged by the Gardai, of sexually abusing his daughter.” 
“Michael did not abuse his daughter,” he said.
“At the time the allegation was made, we were obliged by law to investigate the case, we had to investigate the case fully”. 
“We employed the best doctor and clinical psychologist in the country, and no evidence was found, of the child having ever been abused by anybody.” 
I asked, “are you certain that Lelia was never abused by anybody?” 
“Yes,” he said. 
“We are certain that Lelia was never abused by anyone and we closed the case.” 
“Thank you so much,” I said.
“What you have told me has relieved me of a great burden.” 
“To know that Lelia hasn’t been abused and to have Michael’s name cleared, of this malicious smear, means a lot to me.”
I shook his hand warmly and said “it is wonderful to meet an honest man.”

        I left for home feeling elated. Here was definite proof that Michael was not a paedophile. Despite the best efforts of Superintendent Flor Horan, Sergeant Tony O’Sullivan, Detective Jim Fizpatrick and Garda Denis Ryan, who were still trying to portray Michael as a deranged paedophile who committed suicide. I had now got the proof that one of their allegations was a lie. I promised my dear dead brother that I would clear his name of the other allegation,- suicide as well, however long and whatever it took.

I had a dynamite revelation, these policemen had arrested an innocent man and had tried to frame him for a crime that never happened. The helpful Sergeant Tony O’Sullivan had organised his arrest and had helped compile the spurious file that Superintendent Flor Horan had spoken so forcibly in favour of. Here I had proof that had been available to these policemen, for over twelve months; yet they were still peddling the paedophile line into the community through their close network of friends. They also tried to push this known false claim to Michael’s brothers and close friends. They were smart enough to stop this tactic, against anyone strong willed enough to challenge them on their evidence. These were no senile or stupid policemen.  These were deeply calculating and devious criminals who were prepared to go to any lengths to destroy the good name of a very honest and innocent man. What was their motive?
      The only answer I could think of that fits is to follow the money trail,- greed. A few months later I was given evidence that suggested there was an additional reason, but for now I believed greed was the only basis of the strange behaviour of all the Gardai I had met.
The history of Michael’s case goes back to the time when O’Keeffe and the ‘daughter’ set out to have Michael falsely committed to a locked mental home, in July 2004. The Gardai were most enthusiastic to assist. Only one person had the financial resources to pay a large enough bribe at that time!  You have to have a reason to oppress an innocent man, on several occasions with such enthusiasm, and to deliberately set out to destroy his good name, even when he is dead.

Chapter 11 The Funds

                          On Friday I awoke with a new resolve to pursue justice for Michael. Having proved that Michael was not a paedophile, I set about gathering the evidence that proved he did not commit suicide. I believed if I produced enough evidence then the police would have to charge Shathani Mugoma with perjury. I drew up a statement and got those who knew Michael well enough to know it was true to sign it.

 5/06/2007
We the undersigned confirm that, the late Michael McGrath of Hillcrest, Knockagarry, Mitchelstown, Co. Cork, carried on his person, at all times; a wallet containing at least seven thousand euros or more.  In addition when travelling abroad he carried several thousand extra in foreign currency.
                             Signed : Tom McGrath  (brother)
                                            Peter McGrath (brother)
                                            Margaret McGrath (Sister-in-law)
                                            Don O’Driscoll  (friend)
                                            Theresa O’Driscoll  (friend)
                                            Dan Fox                (friend)
                                            Thomas O’Gorman  (friend)
                                            John McNemara   (friend)
    

I took the signed statement to Sergeant Tony O’Sullivan and requested him to investigate Shathani Mugoma for perjury. He took the statement from me and said he would put it in the investigation file.

By now it was the 18th June and I needed to urgently get the funds to hire a top private investigator, if we were to ever find justice for him.  First I called to see my brother Peter. I believed he was in the best position to help as his four children were grown up; each had their own homes with no mortgage to pay, Peter had two farms, his wife had a farm retirement pension and he had a part time job, add to this the fact that he had recently received a six figure redundancy package from his employer and £10,000 pounds sterling should not trouble him too much, to get justice for his brother Michael.  I explained that the investigator was Jenny Wild, a barrister and law lecturer at Durban University. She had been on the Goldstone Commission in South Africa, as well as having done work for Norwegian Aid, Amnesty International, The Maurice Webb Research Unit, Natal Violence Monitor, J.U.S.T. and the South African Ministry of Intelligence Services.
“Can you help me to get justice for Michael?” I asked.
“Tom, I have nothing to gain from this,” Peter replied. 
“I may need the money I have in the future, you may need your money to look after your family, forget about it, it’s finished with, there is no more we can do.” 
“Peter, we have to get justice for Mike, he was murdered, we cannot just walk away and let those who murdered him get away with it, will you pay half and I will find the other half somewhere?” 
“No, I will not spend anymore money and I would advise you to do the same, you have a young family, you will need the money to pay for their education, university and whatever.”
“Are you saying that you will not help get justice for your brother Mike,” I said.
“I’m telling you to mind your money, I may need what money I have yet, I have nothing to gain by spending more money; I will put up a gravestone, if you want to help with the cost,” Peter replied.
“A gravestone, that is all you will do for your dead brother?” I asked.
“Yes, I will put up a gravestone for him, do you wish to contribute?” he asked.
“You are not a brother at all, what would Mike say if he was here listening to you now?” 
“I have lost two brothers, because you are not a brother, you are nothing, go away and count your money; I never want to have anything to do with you again, good bye.” I shouted at him.
I jumped into my car and drove away. I felt totally alone, with nowhere to turn and with no money. I felt totally dejected by Peter’s reaction. I felt he was dead now too. I felt that now I had lost two brothers, not just one. I started thinking who was in a position to help. I remembered Michael telling me that John, was a millionaire and I had given him a cheque from Michael’s for 4,000 euros in January 2007. So I telephoned John and asked to see him straight away. I met him at his home at 1.30pm and again explained what I wanted to do and asked if he would help.
“Tom, this is a family matter, it has nothing to do with me, I don’t see why you are asking me to help?” he stated.
“I don’t have any money”, I said,
“Michael was your friend, I gave you his cheque in January, I thought you might like to help?”   
“I have a lot of financial commitments, I have my own family to look after, I cannot give money away to a stranger,” he replied.
“So after everything Michael was just a stranger, I am sorry I asked at all, I will not bother you again, goodbye,” I said and drove away. 
Again I was thinking, who might help, who was in the financial position. Yes, there was such a man, he was a multi millionaire, I had been in a venture with him recently, £10,000 would be loose change for him.  So I met him and explained what I was trying to do, I told him about those who had turned down the offer to help.
“It’s nothing to do with me”, he said, “why are you asking me?”
“I thought you might want to help, because it is the right thing to do and you do not wish someone to get away with murder, I am not asking for a present as soon as I have some personal things sorted, I will repay you the money.”
“I will ring you with my answer tomorrow,” he said.
I knew he had no intention of helping me. I left not knowing where to turn. I got no call from him, the following day or any day.  

          I drove to Mitchelstown and went to visit St Fanahan’s Holy Well. I had not been there for forty years. I parked on the side of the road and made my way over the style. The pathway down to the well was lined with tall beech  trees, just as I had remembered from my youth. The last time I had walked this very path, my dear brother Michael was walking beside me. It is a mile walk to the Holy Well, I had the rosary beads that a very kind man called Tom from Teagasc had given me a few weeks previously. He told me he had got the rosary beads in Medugorje and he told me, how a group of family and friends say the rosary every night at the same time. Some people join us by telephone from the United States, we will pray for Michael.   He also gave me a ‘Graces and Mercy’ prayer card. As he gave me the Medugorje rosary he said, “I am now going to ask you to do something very difficult, but it is something you must do and God will not let you down; you must pray for those who killed your brother and those who planned his murder.”  
“What you ask is so difficult, it will take me time to do so, but I will try,” I said.
     
           I stopped at the little bridge which had a plaque, I decided to read the message. ‘This bridge was built in 1870 by the County Grand Jury. 
Half it’s cost was paid by Edmund Murray, Jermiah Casey(father of  The Galtee Boy) and Michael Cusack of 19 Lower cork Street. Casey and Cusack did so in thanksgiving respectively for the safe return of his son from Australia and Cusack of his brother, Captain William Cusack a Union Officer who fought in the American Civil War. 
I stood beside St. Fanahan’s Holy Well and blessed myself with the water. I asked St. Fanahan to intervene with God and help me to get justice for Michael.  I was told, by my father that St. Fanahan had promised, to always assist the people of Mitchelstown who asked for his help and protection. The well is on an island,  a little stream bubbles over the stones of the river bed, with tall beech trees along both sides of the foot path. Slowly I made my pilgrimage around the tree lined island and said the five Sorrowful decades of the rosary. As I made my way around the island, beseeching help from the saint who had made this a place of prayer; over a thousand years before, I became aware of a golden glow all about this place of peace, as I said the rosary. The trees shone with a reflective golden brightness that was not of this world and the grass beside the footpath glowed with a luminous green glow that told me I was in a very special place, I felt so close to heaven I could reach out and touch it and I felt that God had not abandoned me.  Between each decade of the rosary I beseeched Saint Fanahan, Saint Padre Pio, Saint Therese and Mary, The Mother of Jesus to help me in this my time of desperate need.  Even though it was cold, I felt a warm breeze bring heat to my worn out body. On the way home it occurred to me to call see Tim Vaughan, a neighbour whom I had did a big favour for recently. I explained I needed money for the investigator, to bring my brother’s killers to justice. 
“How soon do you need the money?” he asked. 
“Could I have it next Monday?” I said.
“I’ll see what I can do,” said Tim.
“Could you pay the money directly into this account for me, it will save valuable time?” I asked. 
“I will do that for you Tom,” he replied.  I went home thanking God for the second miracle. I prayed that God would guide me to get justice for my brother Michael.  
I had already established Michael’s innocence on the charge that he was a paedophile. The case  worker had told me that Michael was innocent, of all charges levelled against him. I had independent proof, that Michael was innocent. 
Yet Superintendent Flor Horan and the trio from Mitchelstown, Tony O’Sullivan, Jim Fitzpatrick and Denis Ryan had tried to prosecute Michael for a crime that never happened.  They knew it never happened but they were still going around telling people that he was a paedophile who committed suicide. These Gardai are not only corrupt but evil as well. They had gone to extraordinary lengths to make a case against him, on the May bank holiday on which they arrested him, including procuring a Garda ‘pal’ solicitor, another O’Keeffe who had ‘advised’ Michael McGrath, “Michael the evidence against you is overwhelming, plead guilty and you will get off on a lighter sentence.” 
The anguish and revulsion, Michael must have felt with the disgusting and vivid descriptions of depraved acts; these evil policemen accused him of carrying out on his beloved little daughter, made him breakdown in tears. Was there no depths to which this circle of evil would not stoop to destroy him!  It was after this incident that Michael decided to apply for a full judicial separation, to be free of this malignant woman forever.  Despite everything that had transpired before that; he was prepared to take his family back so that his beloved Lelia would be in the home she loved, until this incident happened.  He knew then that there were no depths to which these people would not stoop, to destroy him. At the beginning of July, he signed the papers requesting his attorney apply for a full judicial separation. I had visited his home in early August and he was determined to be free of his devious ex-wife.  We had a celebration drink to mark the end of her reign of terror tactics against him. Michael put on Linda Ronstadt’s,   Mas Canciones.  He played his favourite tracks.
   Mi Ranchito.
Ahi me pase los anos
Ahi encontre mi primer amor
There, were the betrayals
The ones that killed my illusions.

Ay…Corazon que te vas
Para nunca volver…No me digas adios
Vuelve a alegrar con tu amor
To cheer up the little ranch
That was once my whole life’s dream

Alla al pie de la Montana
Donde temprano se oculta el sol
My sad little ranch is still there
My work abandoned.
             
He really liked Pena De Los Amores, Love’s Sorrows, he said there was a sad beauty about this song and he said that Linda put so much emotion into the song, he could feel her heart beat. I think it was written for Michael.

Pena De Los Amores. (Jose Luis Almada)

Que pena de las palabras que se callaron
Y aquellas que pronunciadas,estan perdidas
Que pena de primavera sin flor ni canto
Que pena de algun verano sin golondrinas.

Que pena de algunas besos que no se han dado
Y aquellos labios dispuestos pero ya escondidos


Que pena de los amores que ya pasaron
Que pena de los amores que no existian
How sad that I have been forgotten by those who once loved me
How sad that I can’t remember those that I once loved.

The words of these wonderful songs were quite prophetic. 

Chapter 12 Investigator Jennifer Wild

                                        
 On the 12th June I received the following email from investigator Jenny Wild.

Dear Tom,                  
                                                                                                                                      
           I am surprised that you are having difficulty acquiring testimony delivered at a public hearing.  I have assembled an appropriate team to investigate Michael’s death.  
  On the basis that the estimate for a complete and thorough investigation is acceptable,  George, Brian and I will depart for Botswana on 24th June 2007. We will collect records and evidential statements as we meticulously re-trace Michael’s path leading up to his death and establish the full circumstances thereof.  No stone  (or any part ) will remain unturned.  All documentary evidence gathered including statements, reports. Affidavits  etc will be gathered and collated in a manner appropriate to form the basis of a prosecution docket against any person/persons we establish to be complicit in Michael’s demise.  All the fruits of our work will be your property and we will follow your instructions with respect to its use.
     On the 22nd, my solicitor John Brooks forwarded a copy of the Coroner’s Report to Jenny Wild.  When Jenny forwarded these documents to me, it was the first time I ever saw them, even though the Irish Gardai had them for 4 months.  In some surreal way they could justify passing on all the evidence I gave them, to Shatani Mugoma but I saw nothing of the false evidence from Botswana and Mugoma!
The first document I am reproducing is from Superintendent  K.Dintwe, Station Commander Palapye to Interpol Gaborone  Ref: S/C 20/4/2 (3)I  January 15, 2007
………………………………………………………………………………………
      Summary Report of Suicide:
    Subject: Michael McGrath Ref:  
         Inquest No. 21/2006
Reference is made to your BNCB 114/62X(9/8) dated 5th January2006 of the above subject. (5thJanuary2006 is exactly the date on this document). This office investigated a suicide case of the above subject who finally took his life whilst hospitalised at Palapye Primary Hospital on the 13th December 2006.

Summarily, on the 12th December 2006, the deceased was a passenger on the back seat of a Sedan Registration Number TMJ 615 GP, a Nissan Almara he had hired in South Africa. This vehicle was driven by his friend’s wife Gorata Ogotseng along A1 Road.  Near Radisele Village, the deceased opened the door and jumped off the vehicle which was not travelling at a high speed.  The deceased suffered injuries and was admitted at Palapye Primary Hospital.  This matter was reported to Palapye Police who initiated investigation.  It was during investigation that it was learnt from the friend that the deceased had hinted to be having problems at home.  The deceased’s friend Shathani Mugoma who was the eye witness to this incidence made the police to suspect suicidal behaviour and the Police guarded the then patient who had injuries.
     In the early morning of the 13th December 2006  at about 0500 hours, the deceased told the escort nurse and the police officers that he wanted to use the bathroom.  He went in there and stayed for a long time.  The nurse and the police officers suspected something only to force the door open at 0530 hours to find the deceased lying in a pool of blood having a cut on the right side of the neck.  He had used glass to cut himself to take his life.  This was reported and investigated by the police who suspected no foul play.
  
For the convenience of this communication we attach the following documents:-
1.	Statements of witnesses.                            
2.	Post Mortem report.                                                                                                             
May you please assist by delivering the necessary documents to the Irish Mission in Maputo, Mozambique for onward transmission to the family.

Cc: Officer Commanding, No.2 District, Serowe

BP160                                                              Inq.No.21/2006                  Station…Palapye
                                                     Statement              
 I….. Michael Phiri     Age….26      Lotsane Ward. Palapye                                     Employed as: Special Constable
Home address …….. Box 286 Palapye………Ward…Lotsane…Headman..Nkwaila……..

States:
 I am a dully attested member of the Botswana Police Service.  I resumed duty yesterday at 2200 hours under general Duties.  I was then deployed by the section leader to escort a certain man who was threatening to commit suicide.  I was accompanied by Constable Kgosintwa and we spent the whole night with that white man.  So, today at around 0530 hours that white man by the name of Michael asked for permission to go to the toilet.  We allowed him to do so.  We did not suspect anything as he locked the toilet door behind him.  He spent thirty minutes in the toilet until we knocked and he responded by saying he was coming.  We then became suspicious when he did not come out and we tried to knock but there was no response.  Constable Kgosintwa then took a chair and climbed thereby looking through the window and saw blood all over the toilet.  I have to state that the door of the toilet was difficult to open from the outside.  We told the nurse who was on duty what happened.  We tried again to open the door and at last we managed.  We saw that a white man was lying in a pool of blood dead.  When we observed it looked like he used a sharp instrument to cut under his ear as blood was coming pouring from that wound.
Signed: M. Phiri
Statement read over by/read over to the deponent in the English Language, acknowledged by him/her to be true and correct and sworn to by him/her before me at Palapye  on this 13th Say of December 2006 at 0630 hours.
                       Signed Malomo……………..
No……9082…….. Rank…..S/I….. Name……Malomo

Statement of evidence for D/Gda. James Fitzpatrick, Mitchelstown Garda Station made of the 14/05/’07 at Mitchelstown, Co. Cork.

I am a member of An Garda Siochana stationed at Mitchelstown, Co. Cork.  I recall the 15th December 2007. (this is the date on his false statement, again like Dintwe he cannot even bother to get his year right!)  On that date I was on duty at Mitchelstown.  On that afternoon as the result of a call from the Department of Foreign Afairs, Dublin I became aware of the death of Mr Michael McGrath, B.22/6/1954, Knockagarry, Mitchelstown, Co. Cork.  Michael McGrath and his family were known to me.  Sgt. Paul Barry and I then went to his estranged family’s residence at Bishopstown where we conveyed the tragic news of Michael McGrath’s death to them, later that evening. I recall the 7th Jan.2007.  On that Sunday Gda. Denis Ryan and I were on duty at Dublin Airport.  At 7.00pm approx. we left Dublin Airport with the remains of Michael McGrath.  I had witnessed the remains arriving on Lufthansa Flight No.LH 4982 from Frankfurt at approx. 6.00pm  The remains of Michael McGrath were collected by Aiden O’Brien, of O’Brien’s funeral Home, Mitchelstown and arrived at Mitchelstown, Co. Cork with the remains of Michael McGrath at approx. 9.30pm where Gda. Ryan and I handed over the remains to Gda. Vincent Guerin Mitchelstown Garda Station at O’Brien’s Funeral Home, Mitchelstown, Co. Cork.   I was present at 9.45pm approx. when Margaret McGrath identified the remains of her estranged husband, Michael to Gda. Vincent Guerin.  Whilst Gda. Denis Ryan and I escorted and accompanied the body of Michael McGrath from its arrival at Dublin Airport to hand over to Gda. Vincent Guerin it was not interfered with in any way.  I took possession of the accompanying documents at Dublin Airport which included 1) Michael McGrath’s passport, 2) Delivery Documents from Lynn’s Funeral, Gaborone, 3) Embalming Certificate, 4) Health Certificate (South Africa), 5) Republic of Botswana – Permit for the conveyance of a dead body, 6) Permission from Irish Embassy, Maputo to Lynn’s Funeral Parlour re: return of body to Ireland, 7) Non- infection Disease Cert-Botswana, 7) Cert of Death- Botswana.  I retain all of these originals, documents since the date 7th Jan ’07.  I have with, Gda. Denis Ryan, carried out certain inquiries and taken witness statements in relation to this matter.  On the 23/3/’07 and on 14/5/’07 I put all of the allegations as per Thomas McGrath’s e-mail to Dr.Shathani Mugoma and he denied all the allegations.  This statement is correct.

Signed:   James Fitzpatrick, D/Gda. 20467F
Date:       14/5/’07

Readers please note that as up to the 20th March 2014, no inquiry was made by the gardai of Shandon travel to confirm the information I had given sergeant Tony O’Sullivan that Michael McGrath had pre-paid his car hire.  I had also shown him the messages on Michael McGrath’s mobile phone from Shathani Mugoma requesting the money to pay for his wedding and including his bank account details at Bank of Ireland UCC.  I had also informed him of Shathani Mugoma’s request for 1,000 euro on the 16th September 2006 which Michael McGrath deposited to his account on the 20thSeptember. Going on the above statement by Garda James Fitzpatrick, it is safe to assume that Mugoma’s bank records were never investigated either.  For their own reasons they rubber stamped and supported Dr. Shathani Mugoma’s statement in full. Likewise the glaring inconsistencies in the statements of  Dintwe, Ngwato, Mugoma and Michael Phiri were of no concern to these gardai!

Statement of Dr.Shathani Mugoma of Apt.3, Merlyn Court, Bishopstown,Cork.
Tel.No. 097-2031468’ Occupation: Doctor, DOB: 28/6/’78, taken on 23/3/’07 at Mallow General Hospital by Denis Ryan, Gda.

 I hereby declare that this statement is true to the best of my knowledge and belief and that I make it knowing that if it is tendered in evidence I will be liable to prosecution if I  state in it anything which I know to be false or do not believe to be true.

Shathani Mugoma’s full statement is in Chapter 8.

 (1)a When Michael’s friend Patricia rang Mugoma on the 23rd December, he told her “Michael had committed suicide using a broken bottle to cut his throat”.                      
b      Ass. Superintendent Ngwato  told Ambassador Frank Sheridan that there were renovation works going on in the hospital and some windows were being replaced with louvered glass. Your brother took a length of this glass, which was apparently under a washbasin, broke it and used the broken piece to inflict a serious injury to the right side of his neck.
(2)	When Kitty researched on the internet, she found the phone number of Palapye Police Station, we rang the station and spoke directly with Ass. Superintendent Ngwato, who was very surprised to get a call from Ireland from Michael McGrath’s brother Tom,  asking for ‘details of Michael McGrath’s death’.  He immediately said Dr. Shathani has all the details, this is his phone number 087-203----.  When pressed for details he had only one answer, ‘ring Dr.Shathani.  This from the senior police officer who was supposed to have investigated the ‘suicide’ of my brother.
(3)  Again referring to Ass.Supt. Ngwato’s ‘story’ to Ambassador Sheridan Quote: They (prison personnel) went directly to the hospital and Dr. Shatani and Ms. Gobotseng went to the police station to report the accident and to report that, in their view, Michael was suicidal  A police officer was dispatched to the hospital to watch over him.  According to Ngwato, Dr. Shatani and his fiancé left Palapye shortly afterwards that same afternoon.   On page 3 of Dr. Shathani Mugoma’s sworn statement  He claims Quote: ‘We left Michael at around 11pm’.
(4)	According to Supt. Dintwe’s report, quote: at about 0500 hours, the deceased told the escort nurse and police officers that he wanted to use the bathroom. The nurse and police officers suspected something only to force the door open at 0530 hours.                                                                                           According to Special Constable Michael Phiri, Quote: ‘ at around 0530 hours Michael asked for permission to go to the toilet. He spent 30 minutes in the toilet until we knocked and he responded by saying he was coming. This would make it 0600 hours, well after he was supposedly found dead  in the toilet  according to Dintwe and Ngwato?
(5)	 I have to state that the door of the toilet was difficult to open from the outside’.    According to Ngwato’s ‘story to Ambassador Sheridan, Quote: Around this time it was noticed that he was missing and a search was underway.  The Assistant Superintendent himself verifies this because he was on duty and called the hospital at that time to check on your brother’s condition. It was discovered that Michael was locked in a toilet which was quickly opened with a coin’.
(6)	On the 2nd January I had a telephone call with Ambassador Frank Sheridan in which I asked him some questions.  He informed me that Ngwato had told him, Quote: ‘that Dr. Shatani did not know where Michael’s estranged wife lived , as he had only met her once briefly, but that he believed she lived in the Mitchelstown area’.  The Ambassador refused to give me this in writing!!  Contrast Shathani’s  distancing himself from Margaret Lynch McGrath at this stage but he thought he had better admit knowing her a little bit in his statement; so he admits to being at her home in Knockagarry on two occasions and going mountain climbing with her.  Hardly someone you would categorise as having met only once briefly. In fact he had met her on 10 occasions that we know of. 
(7)	Further quote from the Statement of Special Constable Phiri: today at 05:30 hours that white man by the name Michael, asked for permission to go to the toilet. This indicates that he was under illegal ‘arrest’ by Palapye police as he had commited no crime?
    Yet despite all this evidence which was in the possession of  Superintendents Flor Horan and Con Cadigan, Sergeant Tony O’Sullivan, D/Gda James Fitzpatrick and Gda. Denis Ryan, not one of them could see any contradictions at all.  But they could continue to insinuate that Michael McGrath was a paedophile to myself, my brother Peter, to Patricia and Don, as well as having well placed sources spread this known lie all around Mitchelstown.  
   It also was of no concern to the Irish government who raised no concerns about the illegal detention of an Irish citizen.

Getting back to my email of the 16th June to Jenny Wild.
She replied on the 23rd of June.

Dear Tom,
  Thank you very much for the Coroner’s Report, which I received intact.  May I please have permission to communicate directly with John Brooks and acquire through him Powers of Attorney issued by appropriate family members in favour of each member of the Investigation Team, to empower each of us to approach appropriate authorities, retrieve reports, statements and documents, access and copy all records and interview all and any witnesses, we deem necessary to pursue the investigation into Michael’s death.
Please furnish me with written permission in this form so that I can communicate with John Brooks as soon as possible.
 Regards,
   Jenny Wild.

On the 29th June, I forwarded the Travel Details from Shandon Travel, giving Michael’s Flight Details. He was to leave Dublin on the 6th December 2006 and Return, ex Johannesburg on 2oth December 2006. I also sent the receipt for his hire car, showing he had prepaid 294.04 euros on the 22nd of November 2006. The hire was with National Car Rentals at Johannesburg Airport, Desk in terminal for an Economy car/2-4 door, manual transmission.
  It was marked paid on the 22nd November 2006
Balance due on delivery : 0.00 
                                         Zero
  
             On the 3rd July I met with John Brooks and explained; that my investigator required me to sign documents, giving her and her team power of attorney to investigate Michael’s death.  He was very reluctant and said he did not understand what I was looking for.
 He said “tell me exactly what you want”.  
I rang Jenny Wild in South Africa on my mobile and she spoke directly with him. 
The result of the conversation was that he asked me, “to come in on the 5th July  and I will have the documents ready for you, to take over to a Notary Public in Fermoy to sign and validate the documents”. 
I asked him what would I do with the documents, when I had got them signed. 
My solicitor said, “bring them back here and I will look after them”.

              On the 5th July my cousin Don McConnell and his family arrived from the US. I asked Don to accompany me to the solicitors. The documents required several corrections to be made by the Notary Public before he signed them.  He remarked on the strange layout of the documents and wondered why the contents of each was not restricted to a single page? There were unusually large margins, taking up half of each page. We returned to John Brooks office at 2.30pm and I handed the papers over to his secretary.
I asked her “how are you going to get them to Jenny Wild in South Africa?”
She said, “I will let John know you have returned them, he will know what to do.”
As we left the office, my cousin Don an experienced lawyer, said to me,
 “I don’t think they are going to send them anywhere.”
“Why would you think that?” I asked.  
“Just something about the way she replied to your question, makes me uneasy,” he replied.
I forgot the incident until I got a call from Jenny Wild on the 11th July to say, “I am still awaiting the papers giving me ‘Deed of Attorney’, I cannot carry out the investigation without them. My team is assembled and ready to cross into Botswana, where are they?” 
“I will call you back in half an hour,” I said. “I left the documents with John Brooks, I will find out immediately.”
I rang John Brooks office and spoke with his secretary. 
“I need to speak to John Brooks urgently,” I said.
“He is away in court all day,” she replied.
“What happened to the ‘Deed of Attorney’ I signed a week ago?” I asked.
“They are in the file,” she replied. 
“That is unbelievable, these are urgently required documents by my investigator in South Africa, they were supposed to have been forwarded to her a full week ago, why were they not sent?” 
“I will ring John and ask him what to do,” she replied.
“Forget it, I will be in to collect them in 9 minutes, have them ready,” I said. I ran to the car and drove the seven miles in seven minutes. I collected the papers and checked the contents of the envelope to ensure, they were originals. I then rang a number of courier companies and the best transfer time for my papers was seven working days. I went to the post office and asked “what is the fastest postage I can get for this envelope to South Africa?” 
“Five working days” the postal lady said, by registered post. So for seven euros the ‘Deed of Attorney’ was on its way.
I rang Jenny Wild and told her, “the papers are on the way by registered post, due to arrive on the 17th July”.
“Email me a copy of the postal registration and the exact address to which you mailed it,” she requested. 
“I will have to stand down my team until we have the ‘Deed of Attorney’ in our hands and then I will set a new date for travelling to Botswana.” said Jenny.


  On July8th 2007 The Sunday Mirror an Exclusive article by Naomi McElroy was headed 

                                   He was Killed
I’ll prove Michael’s death was no suicide says victim’s brother
Irish multi-millionaire Michael McGrath died abroad in mysterious circumstances – now his family fear he was MURDERED.
Michael, 52 was found in a hospital bathroom in Botswana  last December with his throat sliced open.
Local doctor Shatani Mugoma claimed the property tycoon was suffering from depression.
He insisted Michael cut his own throat with a piece of Glass in a bloody suicide bid.
But an inquest into his death recorded an open verdict, and could not rule out a third person being involved.
Michael’s heart-broken brother Tom maintains he was drugged and murdered, and vowed to discover what REALLY happened that night.
He said, “I really believe that Michael was murdered, and whoever carried it out was highly skilled and knew what they were at.”
Michael, from Knockagarry, Mitchelstown, Co.Cork, was found in his bathroom in the Palapye Hospital, Botswana by two police officers on December 13,2006.  He was dead, his throat slashed by a single cut from a piece of glass.
  An Irish inquest heard he had been invited to the wedding of Dr Shathani Mugoma.
  Dr Mugoma said Michael was in good spirits, but said his mood suddenly changed on December 12.
   He claimed the multi-millionaire told him he had money worries, and did not have enough money on the holiday.
   Dr Mugoma told the court that Michael threw himself from their rented car and was taken to Palapye Hospital.
 He said he told the staff there that he felt Mr McGrath was clinically depressed.
The next morning he received a phone call to say Michael had taken his own life in the hospital bathroom.
   But Michael’s angry brother Tom BLASTED Dr Mugoma’s story.
He slammed claims of money worries, insisting Michael was a multi-millionaire with a massive four million euro worth of property.
    Tom said:  “Michael always carried at least six to seven thousand euro in cash everywhere he went.  He had great plans for the future and he was fighter.”
 A postmortem was carried out in Botswana, but the family asked for second examination in Ireland.
 Dr Margaret Bolster told the inquest she could NOT rule out the possibility a third person was involved in Michael’s death.
 She told the court it was difficult to interpret the cause of death because of the first postmortem and the time delay.
 But she said statements given were consistent with suicide.  The inquest recorded an open verdict.
 Tom believes Dr Bolster not ruling out a third party was “very significant”.
 He is convinced his brother was DRUGGED and MURDERED, and may send a legal team to the South African nation for hospital documents not furnished at the inquest.
    Tom said, “Michael had one single cut across the carotid artery, this seems to me to be somebody who knew what they were doing”. “Michael was six foot tall and had great strength, I feel he was given something which made him unable to protect himself”.


           For the next two weeks, Jenny accumulated information from South African sources. She uncovered enough troubling evidence to tell me,
 “Tom, I believe your instincts were right and that your brother was murdered.”
 “I will be travelling into Botswana on the 28th July and I will update you daily with the progress of the investigation." 
On the 28th July her team crossed over to Botswana and on Sunday the 29th July arrived early in Palapye. Jenny made contact with the local Catholic priest and explained why she was in Palapye. The priest made an announcement at the end of mass; explaining that there was a lady from South Africa, investigating the suspicious death of an Irishman and that she would address the congregation.
Jenny explained that Michael McGrath had supposedly jumped from a car on the 12th December, was supposedly taken by two prison officers to Palapye General Hospital and had reputedly committed suicide in the hospital toilet while under supervision.
She asked that “anyone who has any information about Michael McGrath, to come and talk to me after mass.” Several people came to her with vital information after the Sunday mass.

          By the 31st July when I had no communication from Jenny, I feared for her safety. I sent an email to both Jenny and Craig.

Dear Jenny,
Just a note to see if everything is all right. I haven’t heard from you for 3 days, let me know if you are ok.
  Regards,
         Tom.

On the 1st of August 2007, I received the following reply:

Dear Tom,                                                                                                                                                         

        Thank you, yes we are safe, but there have been some VERY tense moments. The Palapye authorities took my passport and held it.  I had to use my contacts in Ministry of Intelligence Services and South African Secret service for whom I worked as a Consultant three years ago to get it returned.  George and I were placed under surveillance almost immediately after arriving in Botswana because we are videotaping material… so that you – and indeed the whole world- can see facts that completely discredit Mugoma and his statement.  We were followed by a black car with darkened windows… and we changed our accommodation.
       We are back across the border in RSA and as soon as we are settled I will furnish a report.  George and I have uncovered sufficient FACTUAL material to completely discredit Mugoma and certainly enough material to have him… and Goreta Ogotseng charged with perjury and defeating the ends of Justice.  We are fairly confident that we can establish that Michael was murdered.
  Regards,
           Jenny.

P/S  Michael’s wife gave full ‘Power of Attorney’ to Mugoma on 18th December 2006 to deal with all matters arising from Michael’s death.
This was the news I was hoping to hear and I replied immediately to my investigator.

Dear Jenny, 
        Thank you for all you have achieved.  Ngwato is a very deceitful and dangerous man.  Can the Botswana authorities be now trusted to carry out a proper investigation, bringing Mugoma and all others implicated in Michael’s murder to justice? Please be careful, the people that followed you and tried to prevent your investigation may have accomplices in South Africa.
        I will continue to pray for your success and safety.  Thank all your team for their courage and integrity, it means so much to know that there are people of principle still in parts of the world.
Love to you and all your team,
                        Tom

I next received this message headed,  ‘Investigation Progress’.

Dear Tom,                                                                                                                                                      

Wonderful news!  I have received the full cooperation of the Botswana Police!!!  I am heading to Gaborone tomorrow to see the Minister for Health, whose consent is required by law to release hospital records to third parties such as yourself and myself… It stems from the HIV/AIDS problem here and the confidentiality enjoyed by patients.  The rule was designed for another reason… but it applies equally to us as to all cases where records are requested.
  The Botswana Police would like to reopen the investigation in relation to Mugoma… do I have your permission to furnish them with the information to do so?  Please revert by return, I am seeing them tomorrow to uplift ALL their files!!!
Love,
    Jenny
  Keep praying for us.

On the 2nd August 2007, I sent Jenny this message.

Dear Jenny,

 Did you get to meet the Minister for Health in Gaborone? 
 Are the authorities in Gaborone aware of the ‘out of control’ police in Palapye?
 Are they at this late stage going to make up for the terrible wrong done to my brother and carry out a proper investigation?
 I believe they have a national police force which has more credibility than the local militia!
Did Kevin McDonnell contact you?
Regards,
    Tom


On 3rd August I got this reply.

Dear Tom,
  We attended upon the Ministry of Health in Gaborone on Tuesday 31st July at 7.15am and met with the Botswana Officials… we dealt with Dr Mompati Mmalane, an orthopaedic surgeon, who qualified in Edinburgh who is Director of Clinical Services.  At his request, I immediately addressed a request for Michael’s hospital records in Palapye. A copy is annexed hereto.
Regards, Jenny.
Advocate Jennifer Emily Wild, 
Republic of South Africa.
31st July 2007.

Permanent Secretary,
Minister of Health,
Republic of Botswana.
Attention: Director of Clinical Services; Mr Mompati Mmalane

Dear Sir,
 Hospital Records of Michael McGrath: Palapye Hospital 12/13th December 2006.

Our meeting held today at your office in Gaborone refers.  I confirm that I act on behalf of the next of kin of an Irish citizen, the late Michael McGrath (born 22nd June 1954) who was admitted to Palapye Hospital on 12th December 2006 and died there whilst apparently under police guard on the 13th December2006.
           This constitutes a formal written request to you by me to retrieve a full copy of the hospital records of Michael McGrath in terms of the annexed notarised Power of Attorney granted to me by the deceased’s brother and next of kin in Ireland.
           As discussed I annex hereto copies of a relevant Police Report, a copy of the post-mortem undertaken in Ireland and the Coroner’s verdict in the inquest into Michael McGrath’s death held in the Republic of Ireland.
  Your earliest attention to this request will be appreciated.
Yours faithfully,
 Jennifer Wild.

I also received this message headed ‘Ngwato’.

Dear  Tom,               
                                                                                                                                     
The death of Michael was NEVER investigated in the true sense of the word.  The authorities took the line of least resistance – and effort – and were complacent.  The statements made by Mugoma and Ogotseng were never scrutinised or tested.
Regards,
    Jenny.

  On the 3rd of August, I sent Jenny this email,

Dear Jenny,                                                                                                                                                    

I am concerned about John Brooks, he is too closely associated with detective Jim Fitzpatrick, one of the Gardai involved in Michael’s case. I can no longer trust him. Please do not give him any further information about the case.  I must find a new solicitor who is honest and capable. I was wondering if through your contacts in Amnesty International, you could recommend someone I can depend on. I find it hard to believe that the Botswana authorities will cooperate.  Personally I do not trust them at all. Take care and be safe.
Kindest Regards,
                      Tom

On the 4th August 2007 I received this email.

Dear Tom,                                                                                                                                              
A local solicitor constructed ‘Power of Attorney’ for Margaret McGrath, which she signed on the 18th December 2006, giving Shatani Mugoma full power to receive Michael’s belongings, identify his body, receive his remaining funds etc etc.  
I am awaiting the hospital records and two further reports I have commissioned before writing an interim report… suffice it to say that George Mitchell  (former Selous Scout, Rhodesian senior military intelligence officer and recently retired Captain of Serious and Violent Offences, South African Police Services) and I BOTH believe independently we have thus far assembled a cogent case indicating foul play/MURDER and not suicide!!!!
  Regards,
   Jenny.


On 7th August I received this message headed ‘Botswana Government’.
Dear Tom,
 From the Ministries in Botswana I have received (so far) nothing but courtesy and compliance.  I am still awaiting Hospital Records from the Health Ministry … but it has only been 6 days since my written request.
   As soon as our dossier is complete it will be submitted, with your permission of course, to both the Irish and Botswana governments.
I will try to find out the names and addresses of a committed solicitor and barrister.
Regards,
   Jenny

I decided to ask a very obvious question of my investigator.
 Did Dr Shatani get married on the 15th December, as he had led my brother to believe, that was the reason for his journey to Botswana?

On 4th August I received this message,
 headed ‘Shatani Wedding’.

Dear Tom,
 The wedding of Shatani Mugoma took place in Moroka on the 18th December 2006.  We have not yet identified the ‘good samaritans’ (Prison van officers),- if they existed. We have lodged a formal request in this regard to the relevant authorities.  I don’t want to pre-empt a full report based on all information which we have and are still retrieving but I can disclose that Mugoma can be proved to have lied when he claims to have witnessed a ‘suicide attempt’ by Michael in the back of a prison van, hypothetically travelling at night on the A1 in Botswana!!!
Regards,
Jenny.

I contacted journalist Kevin McDonnell of The Star on Sunday, and told him my investigator had made significant progress in proving that Michael was the victim of foul play. He was very interested and said he would like to do an article on the case. I told my investigator that Kevin was ready to do an article on the case. Kevin sent her this message.

Dear Ms Wild,
Could you please give me details on the death of Michael McGrath? I am a journalist and have been covering the case in Ireland. Tom gave me your details.
 Thanks.

Jenny sent me this message on the 10th August.
Dear Tom,
I really want to speak to McDonnell.. quite urgently in fact, so please ask him to call me and hold off publication for at least a week and until we give him clearance to do so… I would hate to jeopardise the great progress we have made… and make witnesses nervous because of the high profile being given to the case… just for the time being…and a short while!
Regards,
Jenny.

She also sent this message to Kevin on the 10th August 2007.
I will gladly do so. Please do not publish for at least a week. The primary suspect, Shatani Mugoma is in Ireland at the moment and I would hate him to flee before being picked up for questioning!!
Regards,
Jenny.

               On the 11th August, I received a message from Jenny describing a meeting between George Mitchell and a ‘Swikero’  near the Botswana/Zimbabwe border. A ‘Swikero’ is a sorceress or witchdoctor.
I, George Mitchell, do hereby make oath and say:
                                                                1.
On Monday 30th July I set out from Palapye, Republic of Botswana to undertake further investigations into the death of Michael McGrath in the area of Francistown and Moroka which lie to the North of Palapye in Botswana.
                                                                 2.
From Moroka we proceeded to the Plum Tree area on the Botswana/Zimbabwe border to seek a traditional herbalist or “witchdoctor”.  The purpose of this investigation was to seek information on the nature and effects of traditional medicines and herbs used in Northern Botswana.
                                                                 3.
We met a young African Botswana National, who was Rastafarian in appearance, and who identified himself to us as “Godfrey English”.  He explained his surname by saying that he was very good at the English language at school, was nicknamed “English” and when obtaining his Botswana Identification card used the name “English”.  He spoke excellent English.
                                                                 4.
He was shown a photograph of Michael McGrath and neither he nor his friends in that area could identify McGrath. We did not tell Godfrey anything about McGrath or his circumstances.
                                                                  5.
He then indicated that his grandmother was a traditional herbalist and that she had the powers of “vision” and was renowned and respected in that area and that she would charge Pula 20 to consult with us.
                                                                  6.
Laurance Prebble, Godfrey English, his brother  and I travelled for a short distance on dirt road in our Toyota Sprinter car to a “kraal”/ cluster of traditional mud and tatched dwellings.
                                                                   7.
Godfrey alighted from the vehicle and went to one of the huts in the cluster and returned after some 10 minutes and advised Prebble and me that his grandmother would see us, that she was preparing herself and that the consultation would cost Pula 20.
                                                                    8.
We then waited at the vehicle for approximately ten minutes when Godfrey got some sign and indicated that we should proceed to the hut.  He then stood near the hut and began to urinate and requested that Prebble and I do likewise before entering the hut. Having relieved ourselves Godfrey led us into the hut in question where we were required to remove our shoes before entering.
                                                                     9.
On entering the hut which was completely bare of furniture, I found an old woman, sorceress/”swikero”, seated on animal skins to the right of the door on the floor.  She was barefoot and dressed  with a traditional blouse and skirt with a multi-skinned, animal-skin headdress on her head and strings of beads, animal bones and traditional amulets around her neck.  In front of her she was sorting 15 to 20 very old and well used pieces of wood the size of a domino but thicker and each one different in appearance and branded with its own unique insignia.
                                                                     10.
We seated ourselves in front of her and she commenced throwing, tossing and moving the wooden objects for some minutes.  She was making gurgling and moaning sounds and passing wind.  She was in a semi-trance state.  Godfrey then instructed me to place the photograph which I had previously shown him of Michael McGrath on the floor in front of the Swikero.  She then selected five of the wooden objects and pushed them across the floor towards me. As she was doing this, Godfrey asked me if I was the blood brother of McGrath, I responded that I was a fellow Irish man and was referring to him as “brother” as Africans do. This he translated to the Swikero.
                                                                      11.
The Swikero spoke and Godfrey translated to me that I was to pick up five wooden objects and I was told to shake and toss them down on the floor, which I did. I was required to do this at least ten times.  On each occasion the Swikero would read the way they had fallen and separate one or two of them after which she would push the same five back to me to repeat the process.
                                                                       12.
The Swikero then spoke to me through Godfrey.  She was in a trance-like state but she spoke.  She confirmed that Michael McGrath was dead and that something had occurred at “great speed”.  She said a woman was involved and behind the death of Michael McGrath.  She said it happened just south of Francistown.  She said money had been taken and that Michael McGrath had been ‘crowded’.  I asked what ‘crowded’ meant and was informed that violent people had been around him and had beaten him.  She said that this beating did not result in death and that thereafter in her words and using gestures to indicate stabbing, that he had been stabbed.  I spent some time trying to clarify these details but she simply continued to repeat what she had already said and continued to make a stabbing gesture.  This gesture was as if she had an imaginary knife in her hand and made a swift forward movement with the hand.  She then repeated the gesture.  She indicated he was stabbed once and not repetitively.  She showed us how he was stabbed.  I asked her if Mr. McGrath had been poisoned, she indicated that he had not ingested poison but had been subjected to “muti” which was airborne. This was made from jackal, various trees, shrubs and animal parts.
                                                                      13.
During this period when I attempted to obtain more details she repeated on three separate occasions that if I wished to take retribution against the perpetrators, I had only to provide her with an article of his clothing and she could return the evil visited upon Michael McGrath to the perpetrators responsible for his death.  When she emerged from her semi-trance she charged me Pula 50.
                                                                      14.
Throughout this entire meeting I was accompanied by Laurance Prebble, who accompanied me throughout and at every point of the interview described in this report and thus is a direct corroborative witness to each and every event described in this report.
                                                                      15.
Laurance Prebble is a sixty five year old Irish-born immigrant to Botswana.  He is married to a Botswana citizen and permanently resides in Palapye.  He had tendered his services to assist us after hearing about an appeal made by Jennifer Wild to the Roman Catholic congregation of Palapye, after Holy Mass on the 29th July 2007.
George Mitchell
Deponent.
I certify that the deponent has acknowledged that he knows and understands the contents of this affidavit which was signed and sworn to before me at Durban on the 3rd day of August 2007, the regulations contained in Government Notice No R1256 dated 21 July,1972 as amended , having been complied with.
C.P.Whyte
Commissioner of Oaths.


On the 16th August 2007, Jenny sent a reminder to the Director of Clinical Services about the hospital records.

Dear Director,
After our meeting at your office on 31st July 2007, I handed a written request for the Hospital Records of Michael McGrath for 12/12/06 and 13/12/06 to the personal assistant in your office.
If it is convenient, could you please report to me upon the progress with respect to my request, as the clients are becoming anxious and apprehensive.
Yours faithfully,
Jennifer Wild.

She received the following reply:
Dear Ms Wild,
Thanks for the note. I have written to our Attorney General’s office and I am still awaiting the response. I have already made copies of the file but I will need clearance from the legal office first.  I hope to revert to you soon.
Best Regards
Mommalane.

I wrote to Jenny and said, the reason they will not release the records is because they are fabricating them to suit the facts.
On the 21st of August I got this message:

Dear Tom,
Fabrication will be to our advantage!!! One can never successfully re-write reality…one always makes mistakes… that do not gel with the information we have already gathered!!!  That is the point of being circumspect until they play their cards!!!!
Be patient… you have waited for six months…give people enough rope to hang themselves!!! PLEASE trust me…I know what I am doing!!!!
Regards,
Jenny.

I wrote to Jenny and said the reason there is no response to the request for records is that, there are no records.
On the no response to the request for Hospital Records, Jenny sent me this reply on 21st August 2007.

Dear Tom,
I emailed you the missive from the Director of Clinical Services. The matter is with the Attorney General. He is not lying about that!!!  If you were at a hospital at which a man met his death in the way your brother did, and there is possible liability…you would run the matter past the Government’s legal wing!!!  I am not prepared to spoil the barrel for a ha’porth of tar Tom. I also want you to see justice… and so I am doing things properly and by the book.  You gave me a job and I am doing it properly…don’t let your impatience deny you PROPER recourse to international Justice.
Regards,
Jenny.

On 27th August 2007, I sent Jenny this message:
Dear Jenny,
 I am just recalling your email of the 7th August, you wrote;
From the Ministries in Botswana I have received nothing… you should have finished the letter there because that is exactly what you will get from them- nothing!!!

Jenny replied:
Dear Tom,
 I am awaiting the hospital records in order to provide one unified composite instruction to the Botswana authorities-rather than instructing them piecemeal.
Regards,
Jenny.

Later that day I received a message from my cousin Don McConnell in the USA, headed  ‘Patience’.
Hello Tom,
        I am sure Jenny will get to the bottom of this. It will take time. God wont let this go unpunished. We may never know the actual outcome, but I am sure these people will suffer.  Now that you started this, I am sure they are not living a normal life. Everyday they wake up knowing the hounds of justice are getting closer and closer, must be a hell of a feeling. 
You take care,
With all our love and prayers,
Don, Sharon and Everyone here.

I asked Jenny on 5th September if she had been able to identify and contact the 2 prison officers who so conveniently came along to take Michael to hospital in the back of a prison van. I labelled them the ‘Good Samaritans’. The following day Jenny sent me this reply.

Dear Tom,
 The ‘Good Samaritans’, if they exist, have not been located yet, despite extensive enquiries. The Minister of Health referred the matter to the Attorney General of Botswana [which is the correct procedure in the event of a death in a Hospital] and we are awaiting his decision. The shirt has been furnished to the “Swikero”.  Thank you for the extensive list of “targets” supplied to us.  Rest assured as SOON as I have a response or the records I will contact you and inform you.  If the Attorney General refuses the records, I will apply to the High Court in Botswana for their release.  I am as anxious as you are to complete the investigation.  I could not be trying any harder than I am to do so.  The delay in respect of the records is out of my control.
Regards,
Jenny.

On Thursday 6th September at 10.25am Jenny sent a further reminder to Mompati O. Mmalane.

Dear Dr Mmalane,
                Do you have any news for me?  The McGrath Family query the progress with respect to the Hospital Records on a daily basis.
Have you acquired sufficient practitioners/specialists for Serowe?  I know of two South African Consultants, one a specialist in the field of HIV, who received my account of your magnificent Hospital in Serowe with great interest.

Later that afternoon, I rang the Department of Foreign Affairs and spoke with Mr O’Brien, whom I had met some months previously and asked if he would make representations to the Botswana authorities to release the ‘Hospital Records’. He said he would “see what could be done”.
            
               On the 19th September 2007, I found out what help, I was getting from the Department of Foreign Affairs. I received this message from my investigator, headed ‘Contact from Foreign Office’.

Dear Tom,
 On Wednesday 19th September 2007, I received a call at my home from a certain Mr Feeney, from the Irish Foreign Office. I recall him being the same person, based in Mozambique, who assisted Margaret (Lynch) McGrath in giving full Power of Attorney to Shatani Mugoma.  I raised this issue with him and was somewhat surprised that he raised with me the “technicality” that you are not Michael’s next-of-kin.   I explained to him that in Southern Africa, immediate blood relatives have as much right to information about the death of a loved one as a spouse, more particularly an estranged spouse, who gave Power-of-Attorney with respect to Michael’s Affairs to a person, credible evidence suggests is a suspect in his death!
  Please raise the issue again with the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs, so that an impartial official in Ireland can approach the Botswana Authorities to secure the Hospital Records, which are crucial to a proper report in this matter.  I am reluctant to file a report without scrutiny of the ‘Hospital Records’.  If the records are not to hand by 20th October, I will finalise my report for release on 31st October 2007.
Regards,
 Jenny.

P/S Mr Feeney undertook to email me his details, but has failed to do so.

                    I was delighted that another corrupt official had identified himself to us.  What was he expecting to gain by trying to stop the truth emerging from Botswana? Who was he working for?
 Who was paying him?
 The answers to these questions were already available, as he had been the go between, with Margaret Lynch McGrath and Dr Shatani and had somehow got the ‘power of attorney documents from Ireland to Botswana in forty eight hours on behalf of Michael’s ex widow. 

      On the 24th September 2007, I received this message from my investigator:

Dear Tom,                                                                                                                                                       

The investigating officer, Ngwato had correspondence in his file over which he claimed privilege-a legal term meaning that it is private and not for disclosure.  Amongst those documents, which I read but was precluded from copying- was the ‘Power-of-Attorney’ from Margaret McGrath to Shatani dated 21st December2006.  It had been received under cover of a letter from the Irish Embassy in Mozambique (Maputo) signed by a Mr Feeney.  I presume that he is the same person who telephoned me, to get a stop put to the investigation into Michael’s death.

I was interested in finding out where Michael stayed on the night of the 11th December2006, as that was the last night he spent, before all these questionable events took place. So I asked Jenny if she had that information.


On the 27th September2007, I received this message headed ‘Wait’.

Dear Tom,
He was alleged to have stayed at a lodge in Moroka… per Mugoma… but we checked the attendance registers and with the staff at both lodges in Moroka and he did not stay at either.
Regards,
Jenny.

On the 29th September2007, I sent this query to my investigator about the Honorary Consul:

 Dear Jenny,

 Thank you for exposing all those lies.  There is something that has bothered me since I received the email from ambassador Frank Sheridan on the 2ndJanuary 2007.  Quote from email; “The information given to me by the investigating officer is broadly similar to that obtained yesterday from our Honorary Consul in Gaborone, Mr Barney O’Reilly and reported to you in the conversation you refer to below”. “The Honorary Consul’s own assessment on the basis of the information supplied by various sources is that it is difficult to sustain any contention of foul play”.
  Have you spoken to this person and is he plain stupid, just lethargically lazy or accepting cash to make definitive statements designed to curtail any enthusiasm Michael’s brother had for a proper investigation!
Regards,
Tom.

               I received the following reply, which confirmed my suspicions, on the 30th September 2007.

Dear Tom,
 He telephoned me over two weeks ago.  He undertook to email me his credentials.  I am still waiting!  It’s a good thing I didn’t hold my breath!
Regards,
Jenny.
            
                     People who are guilty of wrong doing, lapse into silence and hope that everything will go away in time. There is also the self-preservation motive that if they say nothing, then nothing can be used against them. 

I replied to Jenny with a message headed ‘Nest’.
Dear Jenny,
I think you have exposed a most exemplary nest of vipers.  When I read Barney O’Reilly’s submission on the 2nd January2007, I had serious misgivings about him.
Thank you.
Regards,
Tom.

I continued making my daily pilgrimages to Saint Fanahan’s holy well but I did not again experience the warm golden glow of heaven which I experienced there in early June.  I did feel great peace and I knew that even though there was no visible miracle; like the warm golden light of my first visit, I knew I was in a holy place where my heartfelt prayers could be heard.  

Chapter 13 The Perjury Investigation

In Africa we are de-sensitised to corruption…. It has been here for centuries!!! My experience has taught me that one must be patient and keep digging. It has always paid dividends! For years Apartheid seemed invincible… but it crumbled. Apartheid’s Masters thought they could hide their actions… but patient digging exposed their conduct. Your cause is righteous, Tom! You are being tested… you will receive justice, Michael will be vindicated… and those who procured his death will be exposed and punished! Keep faith. There is not a week that goes by, that I do not receive some information or acquire an insight from evidence we have compiled that sheds more light on what probably occurred… and we have found no suggestion that Michael was anything but an innocent victim.

Jennifer Wild

                                         
           On the 7th of October 2007, I met a parliamentary member of the Irish government and told him about my progress in investigating Michael’s murder. He informed me that the Minister for Justice is carrying out an enquiry into both the action of his own staff- the Gardai and the staff in the DPA at the embassy. He will report back to me before the 20th. 
I told him “I hoped it would not be a whitewash, like similar enquiries in the past and that I would not be letting the matter rest until I had answers from everyone involved.” He assured me the Minister for Justice is taking a very close interest in this case on his behalf, as they have been close friends for many years.

On Monday the 8th October 2007, I received an unexpected phone call from Sergeant Paul Reidy of Mallow Garda station.
He said, “He had been asked to investigate an allegation of perjury by Dr. Shathani Mugoma, at Mallow Coroner’s Court on the 30th May 2007.”  
He asked, “if I would agree to meet him to discuss the case?” 
I said, “yes, that I would be glad to meet him and that I was delighted that someone was taking an interest in the case." 
“When can you come to see me to discuss the case?” he asked.
“I can come anytime you wish,” I replied.
“I am very busy all this week, can you come to Mallow Garda Station on Monday the 15thOctober at 6.00pm?” he asked. 
“Fine, I will be there,” I replied. 
I emailed Jenny Wild and told her the news that at last someone was enquiring into Shathani. I told her I would give him the information on my brother Michael’s mobile phone. The receipt from the Travel Agent, showing that Michael had pre-paid his car hire. I asked if I should give him any further information?

She sent me this message headed “Yes”.

Dear Tom,

You can give him that information and the information that I sent you using the South African border documents which establish:
1.	That Shathani Mugoma crossed the border between South Africa and Botswana in a different vehicle from Michael; and
2.	The woman, Goreta Ogotseng did not leave Botswana at all!!!  This was confirmed by inspector Ngwato.
That constitutes substantial perjury!                                                                                                          
 Regards,
Jenny.                                                                                                                                                               

From my dealings with the corrupt police in Mitchelstown,  I was worried that Dr. Shathani would very quickly become aware of the investigation now underway. On the 10th October, I sent Jenny this message:

Dear Jenny,
I am going to double check on this policeman Sergeant Paul Reidy.  I need to know if he is genuine or two-faced like the five Gardai I have encountered thus far. I have asked the minister to let me know for sure who this Garda is working for.  I have discussed the case with a new solicitor in Mallow. I think this man is honest. I have asked him to accompany me to the meeting with sergeant Paul Reidy on Monday evening.
Regards,
Tom.

On the 11th October I got this very wise reply from Jenny Wild:
 
Dear Tom,
I have been giving the matter great thought.  Our investigation, to a large extent, involved discrediting Mugoma’s statement.  If these aspects are supplied BEFORE the final report and video on 31st October 2007, it will give Mugoma an opportunity:
1.	To tailor an explanation.
2.	To seek to avoid perjury charges with the advance information.                                                              
Is there any way you can avoid giving good examples on Mugoma’s perjury until the report is released?  It would be in the best interests of the ultimate result you wish to achieve.
Regards,
Jenny.

              I replied immediately:
Dear Jenny,                                                                                                                                                     

I have just 2 items of information, that contradict Shathani’s statement.  
1. The receipt from the travel agent.                                                                                                                
2. The messages on Michael’s phone.                                                                                                                
3. I was also present on the 16th September 2006 when Shathani asked Michael for a 1000 euros to pay dowry to his ‘fiance’s family.  Do I give this information to Sergeant Reidy on Monday at 6.00pm?
Regards,                                                                                                                                                   
Tom.

I received this message in reply:

Dear Tom,

  You can give him that information and the information that I sent you using the South African border documents which establish:
1.	That Shatani Mugoma crossed the border between South Africa and Botswana in a different vehicle from Michael; and
2.	 The woman, Goreata Ogotseng did not leave Botswana at all!!!  This was confirmed by inspector Ngwato.                                                                                                      

This constitutes substantial perjury.

Regards,
Jenny. 

               On 15th October 2007 at 6.15pm, I met with Sergeant Paul Reidy and Detective Murphy at Mallow Garda station. I had a statement plus six items of evidence and Shathani’s statement from the Coroner’s Court. My statement covered the main events of Michael’s life over the last 3 years. The statement of Dr. Shathani given to the Coroner’s Court held in Mallow on the 30th May2007 is littered with deliberate lies. This constitutes undeniable perjury.  I had given sufficient evidence to superintendents Flor Horan, Con Cadogan and Sergeant Tony O’Sullivan; prior to the coroner’s court, that proved Shathani Mugoma was perjuring himself at the Coroner’s Court and they chose to collaborate with Shathani’s perjury. On the 28th December, 2006, my brother Peter and myself met Superintendent Flor Horan at Fermoy Garda station. We informed him of our knowledge of Shathani soliciting large sums of money from Michael and that we had solid evidence to back this up. He was not interested in any evidence we had and instead tried to convince us that Michael was a paedophile, even though I have since acquired factual evidence that he was not a child abuser and there never had been any evidence to back up this malicious claim.
        There was substantial evidence of claims by Michael’s ex-wife Margaret Lynch McGrath and Michael O’Keeffe which were found to be false. That superintendent Flor Horan would pursue a case he knew to be false, deserves explanation.  That he would use a proven falsehood, as a basis for offsetting our interest in discovering the truth of a very suspicious death, is more than questionable.
That Horan, O’Sullivan, Fitzpatrick and Ryan would immediately run with consecutive claims against Michael; even though as each one surfaced it was shown to be false, deserves rigorous scrutiny and needs to be explained in public forum.
        I made sergeant Tony O’Sullivan aware of this evidence and he too chose to show no interest. He did show great interest in me on the 7th January2007, as my brother Peter, myself and friends followed my brother Michael’s coffin from Dublin. He rang me three times to tell me “he did not want any trouble from me at the identification of Michael at the funeral home in Mitchelstown.” As soon as I alighted from the car; he came straight over to me, to again tell me,  “he did not want any trouble from me and that he wanted the identification to be as dignified as possible in the circumstances”. He did this in the full view of the watching Margaret Lynch McGrath and her boyfriend Michael O’Keeffe.
        Later at a meeting in Mitchelstown Garda station, attended by my brother Peter McGrath, Margaret his wife, my wife Catherine and myself Tom McGrath, sergeant Tony O’Sullivan pretended to read from the Botswana autopsy into Michael’s death. He stated that Michael had a fracture to his right ankle, this was clearly a lie, as he had no such injury.  Why lie to his concerned family who were trying to establish the truth of what happened to their dead brother in suspicious circumstances?
       As soon as Con Cadogan was made Superintendent of Fermoy Garda district, I made Superintendent Con Cadogan aware of the evidence I possessed.  He too chose to ignore this factual evidence.
      Detective Jim Fitzpatrick and Garda Denis Ryan, tried to intimidate Michael’s  friend Patricia a week before the Coroner’s Court; by insisting that Michael had definitely abused his daughter. Garda Ryan sneeringly asked Patricia ‘if McGrath had shown any interest in her young daughters’? 
They also stated to her that ‘the Coroner’s Court would be the end of the matter’. They did everything they possibly could to engineer that outcome.

At the start of the Coroner’s Court enquiry, Garda Donal Ryan made a treble grovelling apology to Dr. Shathani, prior to reading out his statement.  Several times he looked in the direction of Margaret Lynch McGrath and Michael O’Keeffe while making this apology. Why was he beholden to these people?  He then read out Shathani’s statement knowing it was a lie.  Detective Jim Fitzpatrick was also present and collaborated with this falsehood. He made a big show after the enquiry ended of secreting Michael O’Keeffe, Dr. Shathani, Margret Lynch, her daughter Marie and other conspirators out the back door. No threats had been made against any of them, there was no press core waiting outside the door, who were they trying to impress? The behaviour of Horan, Cadogan, O’Sullivan, Ryan and Fitzpatrick and the role they played throughout the investigation of Michael’s death amounts to complicity in condoning perjury and murder!
           I have highlighted 12 identifiable lies in Shathani Mugoma’s statement and there are more. For now I will give you the proof of five definite lies.  When I see proof that you are an honest policeman and have charged Shatani with perjury, I will supply the report from my investigator which proves several other lies in his statement.  The report also proves that my brother Michael McGrath did not commit suicide.  My investigator is an eminent South African barrister and law lecturer, whose report is beyond reproach.  It will allow proper recourse to international justice; if what has gone on previously in this jurisdiction, is repeated.  The murder of Michael McGrath in  Botswana is not going to be swept under any convenient carpet. In any state involved anywhere in the world and those involved in any way will undergo the full scrutiny of the law.
         I am not giving this report to any Garda until I am certain of his motives, having seen Horan,  Cadogan, O’Sullivan,  Ryan and Fitzpatrick already corrupt this investigation.  Information I gave to the Gardai, in confidence, was passed on to Shatani Mugoma with the express purpose of tailoring his statement, to fit the information we already had, not of establishing the truth!
 With the permission of my investigator, I will give you evidence which proves that Michael, Shatani Mugoma and Goreta Gobotseng (or Ogotseng), did not travel together from Johannesburg Airport to Gaborone on the 9th December 2006.

I am giving you:                                                                                                                                       
(1)  Copy of receipt from Shandon Travel for Michael’s Car Hire, prepaid in full on the 22/11/2006.                                                                                                                                     (2) Copy of letter from Ambassador Frank Sheridan, which contradicts Shatani’s statement at the Coroner’s Court, “they went directly to the Hospital.”                                                        
(3) Statement from brothers and friends of Michael, who knew he always had very large sums of money on him and was never short of money.                                                                       (4) Text messages from Shatani to Michael’s phone on the 22nd and 26th November 2006; asking for money to pay for the ‘wedding’.                                                                     (5) On the 16th September, I was travelling with Michael  when Shatani rang him and asked for 1000 euros to be deposited to his bank account at UCC.  Michael attempted to deposit this money at 3 different banks in Stoke-On-Trent; the banks refused to do the money transfer and he had to wait until he returned to Ireland and he deposited this money to Shatani’s account on the 20th September 2006. There is an independent witness to this evidence.                                                                                   
 (6) Evidence of Shatani Mugoma lying when he said in his statement, “Michael, my wife and I left in a Nissan Almera hired from Euro International Cars, I think Michael was driving at that point.”
 
The car was hired from National Car Rentals at Johannesburg Airport.  If Shatani had paid for the car hire, he would at least have known the name of the car hire company to whom he gave his credit card. They did not travel together in the same car as suggested by Shathani.
Goreta Ogotseng was not at the airport and did not travel with Michael, as she never left Botswana.  This is a fact proven by the customs records of the South African authorities and verified by Assistant Superintendent Ngwato of the Botswana police.

Ten months have elapsed since Michael McGrath was killed in Botswana.  So far the only involvement of the Irish Gardai, has been to sabotage any enquiry. I expect nothing less than rapid progress on the charge of perjury against Shathani Mugoma.  His entire statement is, because of his perjury, inadmissible and he must therefore be a suspect in the unlawful killing of Michael McGrath, at a date unknown in December 2006.

Signed:  Thomas McGrath

Along with this, I attached a copy of Shathani’s statement with lies numbered and underlined in red.
(1) Michael and I awaited at the Airport until my wife arrived.                                                                
(2) Resulting in me using my visa card to hire Michael’s car.                                                                    
(3) We left in a Nissan Almera  hired from Euro International Cars, I think Michael was driving at that point.                                                                                                              (4) We were supposed to go to Francistown Airport to collect our car for the wedding.                                                                                                                                                       (5) Michael told me (on the 16/17thNovember2006), that he booked his flight to Botswana for the 6-12-2006 and he had his car hire sorted as well.                                                                  (6)Accusing him of molesting Lelia                                                                                                            
(7) he was seeing a psychologist and neurologist.                                                                                        
(8) He said he was under pressure with bills from the bank, gas bills.                                                                    
(9) He owed around E500,000 half a million.                                                                                                
(10) He said he had no money in Botswana.                                                                                              
(11) I told him I would lend him 5000 Pula.                                                                                                   
(12) I could see Michael banging his head off the side of the van.                                                                                          
(13) The van had to call to the police station Palapye to get a form to take Michael to Hospital. 

To this I attached a number of items of evidence:                                                                                      
1. Car Hire Receipt                                                                                                                                      
2. Mail from ambassador Frank Sheridan, date 2nd January2007.                                                              
3. Signed statement from Michael’s brothers and friends,- that he always carried large sums of cash on him.                                                                                                                             4. Messages on Michael’s mobile phone, showing Dr Shatani asking for money.                                                                                                            5. Statement reference 16 to 19th September 2006 – when Michael transferred money to Shatani’s bank account in UCC.                                                                                                     6. Records from South African customs Border Post at S.A. Jan Smuts Airport and at Kopfontein, which clearly showed that Michael and Shatani travelled in separate cars and that Goreta Ogotseng was not present at all.


            The two Gardai were stunned,  by the evidence I placed before them. After studying it Sergeant Reidy said “he could not accept that the named Gardai in Mitchelstown were corrupt.” 
I said, “the proof is there before you, three times Margaret Lynch McGrath was found to be lying and each time they backed her to the hilt.”
“Even when Michael was dead and it was proven beyond doubt that he had not abused his daughter they were still pushing this malicious lie.”
“What else are they but corrupt?” I asked. 
“They may not have handled the case, the best but I would not think for one minute that they are corrupt!” said Sergeant Reidy. 
“Well, the evidence is there and I will make each one of them answer for it, whatever and however long it takes.”
“They are not getting away with what they did to my brother; and if they had not given carte blanche to Margaret Lynch, she would not have thought that she could get away with murder,” I said.
“Can you come back next week, I need to read over the information you have given me, there is quite a lot to take in”, said Sergeant Reidy.
“No problem, when do you want me to come back,” I said.
“How about 6.00pm next Monday,” he said.
“OK, I will be here”, I said and left the Mallow Garda station.

When I returned for my next meeting with Sergeant Reidy and Inspector Ryan on the 22nd, they were like two different people. Sergeant Reidy told me “there will be no investigation into Dr. Shathani’s perjury unless you withdraw that statement you gave me last week. I cannot accept what you have said in your statement of last week.”
“I cannot withdraw it because it is the truth and the facts back up what I have stated.” 
“You have jumped to conclusions which are not substantiated by the evidence and if you want me to continue the investigation into Dr. Shathani’s perjury, for which you have considerable evidence, then you will have to give us a new statement." 
He then lapsed into total silence and just stared at me as did his companion. I knew this was a routine police trick in unnerving a person, so I used the minutes that ticked away to evaluate my options. My priority was to get Dr. Shathani and if I got him, then Horan, Fitzpatrick and Ryan would eventually join him in being held accountable. So I eventually replied:
“If that is the only way Shatani’s perjury will be investigated, then what do you want me to do?” I asked.
Sergeant Reidy then produced a rambling seven page statement which he read out to me and asked me to initialise each page as he finished reading it. Then he asked me to sign at the end of the last page. I wasn’t sure what I was signing and I was never given a copy of it either, but I am certain that there was an awful lot of legal waffle in it which did not make much sense at the time. But I would have done anything, signed anything to bring my brother’s killer to justice and after all the stone walls I had encountered. I believed that once an investigation into Mugoma began;  that the facts would force the Gardai to turn it into an official murder investigation, as those who conspired against Michael and planned his murder had done so in Ireland.

I sent Jenny Wild an email explaining what had happened at Mallow Garda station:

Dear Jenny,                                                                                                                                                     
 I hope you can understand my statement to the Garda Reidy at Mallow police station. I attached back-up documents as outlined, including your one from customs which proves that Shatani lied about everything.  Can he be arrested in South Africa for Michael’s murder?
Regards,  Tom.

October 16th 2007,
Dear Tom,                                                                                                                                                
Michael’s death occurred in Botswana and therefore the South African Courts do not have jurisdiction over the matter.  Botswana has a death penalty for murder. South Africa does not. If a murder investigation takes place in Botswana and Mugoma is the suspect, he cannot take refuge in South Africa, because the authorities here will comply with a request from the Botswana authorities and extradite him to Botswana.
Best Wishes, 
 Jenny.

I also received this reprimand on my statement to Sergeant Reidy, on the same day.

Dear Tom,

My Dad used to have an expression  “I’ve had a glass of milk, may I?”  I assume your Irish Lawyer checked your statement and was satisfied with it.  It is a little more diverse than I would have approved, if the object of the present enquiry is Shatani Mugoma’s perjury.  If I can help you with statements to the authorities, I will.
Regards,  Jenny.

October 17th 2007.

Dear Jenny,
  I do not have an Irish lawyer at the moment. I am having difficulty finding one who is trustworthy and is not susceptible to Garda coercion.  
  Tom      

On the 18th October 2007, Jenny again requested the hospital records.

Dear Director,
   Do you have any news for me with respect to the Hospital Records? Michael McGrath’s family, and in particular his brother, Thomas, are becoming increasingly frustrated and anxious at my lack of progress in securing the Hospital Records.
JW

On the 19th October 2007 I wrote,

Dear Jenny,
    I never did expect any cooperation from the Botswana authorities.  That country is totally corrupt.  It’s government are criminals for shielding a murderer like Shathani.  He obviously has some connection to the people at the top of the pile.  He could not afford to come to Ireland to study medicine without serious money behind him.  Who was bank rolling him? I can promise the government of Botswana that I will find a way to discredit them in the eyes of the world before this case is finished.  I have nothing but contempt for their behaviour in every aspect of Michael’s death from start to now.
Regards,
Tom.

21st October 2007,
Dear Tom,
Thank you.  I am very disappointed with the Botswana authorities with whom I interacted- because they were very plausible and convincing!  In the case of Dr. Mompati he really had copied the records for me… and simply awaited permission from the Attorney-General to give them to me.  I saw the copy with my own eyes! I simply have not been given the right to read it!!   In the case of Inspector Ngwato, I did receive the right to read his file – which is how I know about the Power of Attorney given by Margaret Lynch and the involvement of the Irish Consul – who by the way has failed to send me ANY written communication… which he undertook to do!!!

      In Africa we are de-sensitised to corruption….  It has been here for centuries!!!  My experience has taught me that one must be patient and keep digging.  It has always paid dividends!  For years Apartheid seemed invincible… but it crumbled.   Apartheid’s Masters thought they could hide their actions… but patient digging exposed their conduct. 
  Your cause is righteous, Tom!  You are being tested… you will receive justice,  Michael will be vindicated… and those who procured his death will be exposed and punished!      Keep faith.  There is not a week that goes by, that I do not receive some information or acquire an insight from evidence we have compiled that sheds more light on what probably occurred… and we have found no suggestion that Michael was anything but an innocent victim.
J.W.

22ndOctober 2007
Dear Tom,
   Wonderful news!  The Hospital Records have been released to me. I will go through them with a Medical Consultant as soon as they are received.
Best Wishes,
Jenny
     
23rd October 2007
Dear Jenny,
I am surprised. A lot of work must have gone into the construction of their contents. Personally, I don’t believe anything that is in the Hospital Report.  Going on Shathani’s statement to the Coroner’s Court- with a lie a line. I expect his fellow countrymen to be equally corrupt. I am not being racist, because I have seen proof that the first five Irish Gardai I have met, in the course of the investigation into Michael’s death, are as corrupt and devious as anything you will find in any country, anywhere in the world.
     
I met Sergeant Reidy last night for 3 hours. He constructed a new statement for me dealing exclusively with Shathani’s perjury. He said he is also going to interview my brother Peter and John Brooks.
I asked him how soon would he be forwarding the file to the DPP and he said “ he could not say, as he has a large workload on.”
I asked him, “would it be this side of Christmas?”
He replied “ I don’t think so.”
I told him I was “worried about Shathani leaving the country before the case materialised.”
He said, “that was always a possibility!”
Regards,
Tom

Dear Tom,
Lets see what the records say before we judge.
Jenny

5th November 2007
Hospital Records 
Dear Tom,
The Hospital Records arrived here today at 14h30 and yes, at a cursory glance they appear to have received ex post facto reconstruction.  I now know the identity of the Doctor, who is alleged to have treated Michael.. and after I have gone through these ‘records’ with medical colleagues, I will contact the doctor who allegedly submitted this report… on not only the hospital treatment but.. the circumstances of Michael’s death!!!
Regards,
Jenny

P/S    This has been well worth the wait as it appears that the “Good Samaritans” were POLICE!!!!

Dear Jenny,
Thank you so much.  I have been praying and praying for a breakthrough.  Your patience has been wonderful, I don’t know how you had the patience to deal with these people. I am very optimistic that you will secure the truth.
Kind Regards,

P/S I am going to get a mass said for you and your team.  
 
6th November 2007
Dear Tom,
Thank you!  We said a prayer for Michael on All Souls Day last week.  The records are a breakthrough… and shed a new light upon the breadth of the conspiracy.  I am consulting with a physician upon the report early next week. Much love to you and your family. You are always in my thoughts and prayers. 
Jenny                

7th November 2007
I asked Jenny when her report would be ready and if she knew if Dr Shathani Mugoma was still in Ireland?
She replied that her report should be ready by the second week of December 2007. And she did not know if Shathani was still in Ireland.
Each day I went over the evidence and kept a candle lighting day and night beside my picture of Michael in the dining room.  Every day I visited the church or Saint Fanahan’s Holy Well to pray  for justice for Michael.        

15th November 2007
Dear Jenny,
  
The Gardai investigating Shatani’s perjury called to see my brother Peter today.  I got a call from Peter when they had gone asking me for a copy of ‘the statement and the evidence’ that I had given them.  He said, “he wanted to discuss it with John Brooks before he signed it”.  This is the same brother who rang Margaret Lynch McGrath, to tell her where Michael had hidden the keys to his Mercedes, after I told him where Michael had hidden them prior to going to Botswana.  I am getting very frustrated with this Garda inquiry. I have given them seven days to complete the case, after that I will have to take alternative action to get the matter before public scrutiny.  My brother Peter has some twisted idea that he doesn’t want the family name dragged through the courts with a messy murder trial.  He said “Michael was buried and the best thing was to forget about it.” Jenny, I really am on my own here, no one else cares what happened to Michael.
Regards,
Tom.

Dear Tom,

I am so sorry to hear this.  You are NOT alone!  I am with you in this, as are George, Brian, Craig and my Team!
You are a wonderful brother to Michael and your fearless pursuit of the truth is an inspiration to all of us.
Love, Jenny      

1st December 2007, I sent this letter to The Irish Minister for Justice.
 Ref: Michael McGrath
     The first anniversary mass for the late Michael McGrath will be on Sunday 16th December at 11.00am.
 Michael was killed in cruel and vicious circumstances in Botswana on the12/13th December 2006.  At a Coroner’s Court inquest into his death in Mallow on the 30th May 2007, an Open Verdict was returned, despite the intervention of a very determined barrister, who sought a verdict of ‘suicide’.
    I had made the Gardai aware, of definite and verifiable evidence, which proved the principal witness at the Coroner’s Court, was committing perjury. That the Gardai involved, from the Mitchelstown station and their superiors should, by their actions condone perjury and murder, needs to be explained to the public of this country.  That Gardai from outside the Mitchelstown station; would put loyalty to their colleagues, before justice, needs to be brought to the attention of the whole country.
Are the Gardai answerable to anyone?
Justice delayed is justice denied.  My brother has been denied justice for 3 years due mainly to the action of corrupt and greedy people.  I am calling for a public inquiry into every aspect, of police conduct, over a three year period in dealing with Michael McGrath, my brother. I am also asking the law society, to investigate the actions of certain of their members who were involved in this case. The actions of one solicitor in particular, has questions to answer that are in beach of the oath of good faith required by the law society.
      It has really surprised me that in this case, where someone has been murdered; that it is not the Gardai that has to solve the murder, but the brother of the victim.  Because the facts I have uncovered, have shocked me.  At times I have had to re-evaluate everything I believed, about the Gardai and members of the law – solicitors and barristers.  I later uncovered evidence that this malfeasance, extended to personnel working within the department of Foreign Affairs.
      From December 2006 to June 2007, I discovered that the Garda investigation into Michael McGrath’s death, was an obstructive one.  But this was not the result of wilfull laziness or gross ineptitude, this was a very deliberate manipulation of the truth.
Why?  Why?   Why?
    I have found it difficult to accept that this country is now at such a level of corruption, that I am surprised to find someone of honesty and integrity.  Or was my dead brother Michael just unlucky, to have met so many crooks in the last years of his life?
That I have now encountered the same dishonest people; in the course of investigating the circumstances of Michael’s death, gives me an opportunity to expose these people, for what they are – corrupt, utterly corrupt and two faced.
    The enquiries carried out to date have unearthed some honest people, of deep integrity and excellence in their work.  I am very grateful to them because they have given me hope that my brother’s good name will be restored and his soul can rest in peace.
      To those corrupt people out there, the fruits of your greed, is of limited duration.  Soon you will suffer public opprobrium and if there is any justice in this life – incarceration.  In the life after death I will leave the Judge of all, to make the decision of where you will spend eternity.
   The information which unmasks the wrongs; inflicted on an innocent man, have been delivered into the safe keeping of two public representatives, plus a solicitor and a barrister from outside the Munster area.  This is my last call to the authorities to do the right thing; expose the truth of what happened to an innocent man.
        Is there anyone within the ranks of the Gardai, or within the Department of Justice: the commissioner of the Gardai, the Minister for Justice, who will get answers to the very legitimate questions; that must be answered about the suspicious death of Michael McGrath in Botswana last December?
  The evidence is available now.
From the first day I was told of my brother’s death, all I have asked for was the truth.  Now I am asking for both truth and justice, I hope that is not too much to ask for in the Ireland of 2007.

Signed:   Tom McGrath


                                                                       

Chapter 14 The Irish Medical Council

                                          
The year 2007 was drawing to a close and I had no lawyer in Ireland who could help me advance this very difficult case.  All I had were insurmountable obstacles. I believed that the old boy network of lawyers and Gardai, were like a mafia with a vow of omerta within the family in all of Munster. So I decided to travel outside the area and find an honourable lawyer in a different province. I made a phone call to Connaught and made an appointment to see Mr John at his office on Thursday the 18th November. I gave him a 30 page synopsis of the case to read over and came back to see him again the following week to discuss the case with him.
I also gave him this signed letter.

Michael McGrath of Hillcrest, Knockagarry, Mitchelstown, Co.Cork.

I the undersigned blood brother of Michael McGrath, wish you to undertake whatever measures you deem necessary to bring to justice those involved in Michael’s death.  The undeniable perjury committed by the principal witness, Dr. Shathani Mugoma at the Coroner’s Court in Mallow on the 30th May 2007 and the evidence gained by advocate Jenny Wild, indicates murder not suicide as statements by certain individuals indicate.   I also wish you to communicate my deep concerns about the Gardai involved in the investigation, to the ombudsman. The Gardai are superintendent Flor Horan, superintendent Con Cadogan, Sergeant Tony O’Sullivan, detective Jim Fitzpatrick and Garda Denis Ryan. 

I would also like the ombudsman to also investigate, the actions of the Gardai in the attempt to commit Michael to a mental home in May 2004,  also the allegation by Margaret Lynch McGrath (under oath) that Michael had been physically abusive to her and the children. The details of this case were heard by Judge Patwell, what was the Garda involvement in that case?

The false allegation of child sex abuse for which superintendent Flor Horan sent a ‘file’ to the DPP; he wished to prosecute Michael for a crime that never happened!  He also tried to convince Peter and Tom McGrath on the 27th December 2006, that Michael was a paedophile who committed suicide.  He had no interest in investigating his death.  Jim Fitzpatrick and Denis Ryan told Michael’s friend Patricia Ryan on the last week of May 2007, that “they were certain Michael had abused his daughter”.  

These Gardai have serious questions to answer.  Is anyone going to make them answer for their words and deeds?  They definitely tried to stop any investigation into Michael’s death at every opportunity.  I enclose a cheque for 500 euros as requested to begin the process of obtaining truth and justice which has so far been denied.

Signed:  Thomas McGrath

  A few weeks later I received this letter.
Re:  Your Late Brother Michael McGrath

Dear Tom,

Further to your attendance at our office we have,
 we have given further consideration to your instructions and believe that we should now involve the services of a barrister with an expertise in criminal cases.
We don’t believe the involvement of the complaint to the Garda Ombudsman is warranted until such time as the ramifications of this are discussed with a barrister.

Your concerns about reporting certain members of the Gardai to the Ombudsman though warranted, will not lead to any resolution as to the circumstances under which your late brother died.  The focus of any investigation by the Garda Ombudsman will be directed towards the appropriateness or otherwise of any matter involving the Gardai.  Since no injury or harm resulted to you as complainant for this then we feel that the investigation by the Garda Ombudsman may well be refused.  

The Garda Ombudsman’s office will not involve itself in investigating concerning activities of the Gardai unless harm resulted to the person making the application for investigation.

It is our belief that the focus for you should be on the circumstances leading to the death of Michael.  An open verdict has been recorded by the Coroner and, as we understand it Jenny Wilde has uncovered some additional evidence which may reflect badly on the chief witness Dr. Mugoma.  This in our view should be your focus.  We feel another meeting with you is essential and perhaps you would telephone the office for an appointment.
Yours sincerely,
John

14/01/2008

Dear Tom,
A Happy  and successful 2008!…  and justice!!  Please invite the solicitor to call me at his convenience.  We have not located the ‘Samaritans’ and doubt their existence. With respect to the ticket (airline) issue, what we CAN show is that Michael had sufficient funds for any accommodation until the end of his planned stay and that he could (both physically and financially) have left Botswana for Johannesburg on the day that he allegedly wished to do so and that he had sufficient funds to have upgraded his ticket and left Africa for home.
Regards,
Jenny

On the 20th January 2008 at 8.40am my SA investigator received a call from the investigating officer from Palapye, tasked with the ‘investigation’ into Michael’s death – ass.Supt. Ngwato.  He wanted a ‘written report’ from Jenny Wild and asked “if it was true that Dr. Shathani is being prosecuted in Ireland?” It appears like someone in Ireland was getting worried that the ‘suicide’ could no longer be sustained and were looking to find out how much evidence we now had!
 
Next I did a search of the Botswana Students Union Eire and found a very sinister communication between Itumeleng Kalane and Shathani Mugoma:

        'I must admit that I’m really at fault this time, and wish to genuinely apologise to you Shathani,  I guess that was a spur of the moment reaction.  If you come to Dublin, please do drop in for tea.  Maybe we can discuss this and maybe we can talk about who needs to be punished and in what way!  I still maintain that I’m profoundly sorry.'
 
What was the reason for this abject apology? It was reminiscent of Garda Denis Ryan’s repeated apology at the Coroner’s Court? Why was Kalane so afraid of Shathani Mugoma? 

When I again gave this to the Gardai, they saw no reason to question Mugoma on why he was able to hold such terror over fellow Botswanians that they volunteered to take what ever punishment he deemed fit. 
    
In contrast to the above disturbing revelation of Shathani Mugoma’s character, I received an email from Fr. Paud O’Donnell.
Great news about Michael.  Bless you for your perseverance.  Madeleine told me about their coming to Dublin.  Hope she may come to England, I know if it is at all possible, she’ll come.
P.O’Donnell.

On the 10th February 2008, my investigator confirmed: ‘I have been tracing and attempting to interview the Doctor who attended to Michael after he was injured and before he met his death’. ‘Craig confirms that your funds have arrived. The video of our investigation is with the Multimedia Centre of Rhodes University being finalised’. 
 
On the 11/02/2008 I went on the Irish Medical Council web side and did a search for Shathani Mugoma.  It gave his address as PO Box 10058, Ramotsuna, Botswana and gave his registration Number as 277482 on date 26/07/2007.  
I feel sure they must be proud to have him registered with the IMC, he elevates the credibility of every Irish doctor registered with them globally.  So on the 14th February 2008 I sent this letter to the Irish Medical Council, Professional Standards, Medical Council, Lynn House, Portobello Court, Lower Rathmines Road, Dublin 5, by registered post.

Dear Sir/Madam,

              I wish to draw your attention to the unsuitability of Dr. Shatani Mugoma, registration no.277482 to practice as a medical doctor.  This man is a danger to the public, in any jurisdiction and his registration should be cancelled as a matter of urgency.

On the 30th May 2007, Dr. Mugoma gave false testimony under oath at a Coroner’s Court inquiry into the death of my brother Michael McGrath, at Mallow Court House. I have factual proof that he committed substantial perjury at this inquiry.  He is currently being sought by the Gardai at Mallow Garda Station to answer questions in relation to his perjury.  Later this month I will present evidence that Dr. Mugoma had a direct input into the unlawful killing of my brother, Michael McGrath, in Botswana on the 12/13th December 2006.

I am available to present factual and verifiable evidence to the Fitness to Practice Committee or any court of law, if required.  I expect those with responsibility for patient safety will wish to act quickly and responsibly in this matter.
     Sincerely,
              Thomas McGrath

On the 20th February, 2008, I received this reply from the IMC.

Dear Mr McGrath,

            Thank you for your letter of the 12th February 2008 concerning Dr. Shathani Mugoma.

Consideration of a complaint against a doctor is provided for in the Medical Practitioner’s Act, 1978, under which the Medical Council was established.  Under the Act, the Fitness to Practice Committee, considers complaints against registered medical practitioners on the grounds of:-
(a)	alleged professional misconduct; or
(b)	 fitness to engage in the practice of medicine by reason of physical or mental disability.       

I would be grateful if you would kindly confirm that you wish your correspondence considered as an application to the fitness to Practice Committee into the conduct of Dr. Mugoma in accordance with Part V of the Act.
 Prior to sending your complaint to Dr. Mugoma with a request that he provide his observations and comments, it would be appreciated if you could provide more details concerning the nature of the complaint.

      I look forward to hearing from you at your earliest convenience.  Please find enclosed leaflet detailing the complaints procedure for your information, should you have any queries please do not hesitate to contact me.
   Yours sincerely,
John Sidebottom 

29th February
Dear Tom,
It looks like your perseverance has brought results.  I am concerned that you think there may be danger to your life.  I hope this is not so.
 I am having a lot of heart trouble at the moment. Saw doctor on Monday and he asked me to have an ECG and I saw him today and he is arranging for me to see a heart specialist.
 Cousin,
Paud O’Donnell
                                                                                

Chapter 15 Strange Garda Investigation

                                        
          
The 15th November is not a good day. On the 15th November 2006, Shatani came to stay with my brother Michael at his home in Knockagarry, to make sure he went to Botswana.  On the 15th November 2007, the Gardai came to interview my brother Peter about Shatani’s perjury.  They showed him the statement I had made, with the back up documents. 
He refused to sign them, he said, “I must check it with John Brooks first in case there is anything in it that I would be liable for.”  Peter rang me for a copy of the documents, so that he could show them to John Brooks, Detective Jim Fitzpatrick’s pal for twenty years. 
I said Peter, “If you don’t want to sign it, don’t. You are neither Mike’s brother or mine, just fuck off with yourself; I never want to see or hear from you ever again, I will do this on my own.”  I slammed down the phone. 
A few minutes later his wife Margaret rang, she said, “Peter is looking for a copy of your statement to give to John Brooks to make sure it is safe, before he signs it.”
“Look Margaret,” I said, “tell Peter I don’t need him, I have done everything so far myself without a single iota of help from him,  I’ll finish it myself, I never want to see or hear from him again, ever.” I disconnected the phone.

Next I rang Michael Ahern and left a message on his mobile. 
 “Michael, I am not a bit happy with the way the police are carrying out their investigation into Shatani’s perjury. They interviewed my brother, Peter today and asked him to sign the statement I had made. He refused, he said he wanted to get John Brooks to look at it first. I have given them the evidence to charge Shatani. What is the reluctance to charge him? I will give them 7 days to charge him or I will take alternative action to bring the case before the public.  I will get a TD to raise the matter in the dail."


Again I wrote to my investigator, my only source of hope.
Dear Jenny,
  I am worried that Dr. Shathani will escape back to Botswana and will never be brought to justice.
Tom

I got the following reply:
 Dear Tom,

 It does not matter if he returns to Botswana – they have a death sentence for murder!  And if he goes anywhere in the EU or Commonwealth he can be arrested and extradited.
Justice may be slow … but it is SURE !
Regards,
Jenny

Almost every day I made my way to St Fanahan’s Holy Well and said the rosary with  the plea “ that Michael’s killers, conspirators and cover – up  people would be brought to justice soon. Every day when I awoke, it was the first thought in my head.  All day I worried that there must be something I was overlooking, for surely so obvious a murder could not go unpunished. At night as I tried to sleep, I was sleeping fitfully as I kept thinking that there must be something I should be doing to bring all those involved,- the killers, the murder planners and the cover – up police to justice.

On the 23rd December 2007 as I got this message from my investigator:
Dear Tom,

I am presently tracking down the doctor, who allegedly treated Michael on the 12th December 2006.  The video of our investigation has been handed to Professor Hills of the Multimedia Department of Rhodes University, for final presentation.
Best Wishes for 2008.
Jenny

It was comforting to know that as we approached Christmas 2007, that there was one honest, kind and determined lawyer working tirelessly to bring those responsible for Michael’s murder to justice.

Chapter 16 Christmas 2007 in San Francisco

                                      
               On the 17th December 2007, we travelled to San Francisco to stay with my cousin John Cleary and his wife Sarah. It was a journey that was to renew and strengthen me. I had serious questions about my life since Michael’s death that remained unanswered. On the second day of our visit we went to Hillsdale shopping centre, it was a very interesting place and had a Sharper Image store, which had plenty of new gadgets to satisfy my curiosity.  I would buy half the contents of the shop if I had the money.

On the third day I decided to walk to the Hillsdale, this time I went to Barnes and Noble and got a book in the true murder section; a book called ‘A Deadly Affair’ by Tom Henderson. As a college student, Michael Fletcher married the girl of his dreams after a three-year courtship.  It seemed like a fairytale romance come true: a match made in heaven. So why would a man murder his devoted wife right after he told her how much he loved her? According to prosecutors, Fletcher had been involved in an extramarital affair with a beautiful judge for two years.  Was his relationship with this woman enough cause for him to murder his wife in cold blood? Raising even more troubling questions, the startling discovery coloured Leann’s already shocking death with shadings of sex, political scandal, and betrayal. 

Oakland County Circuit Judge Jessica Cooper said before sentencing Michael Fletcher to life imprisonment ' I don’t believe what monstrous arrogance you must have that led you to think you could get away with murder.'
I read this book and it provoked my interest in explanations for what happens and why to people. Why I wanted to know had this woman died? 
Why had my brother Michael been murdered? It did not make sense.
A few days later Sara, John’s wife took me to Borders Book Store at Hillsdale. While there I came across a fascinating book by Silvia Browne about life and death called ‘To the Other Side and Back’. This lady is a Psychic and has written many books, but this was the one book, which at my stage of searching, was the right book for me to read. Silvia tells how we can use psychic energy as a tool for deepening our spirituality, strengthening our faith, healing our minds and bodies, and learning to see joy in life. I returned a few days later to buy another book by Silvia Browne and met a wonderful lady called Yiwen Chang. I told her about Michael’s murder in Botswana and she was genuinely sympathetic about my brother’s awful death.  She was a beautiful Tibetan lady of great kindness and intelligence; she recommended I read 
 ‘The Tibetan book of Living and Dying’ by Sogyal Rinpoche.

 I was writing down the name of the book as I did not have the funds to purchase the book.  Without a word she understood, picked up a copy of the book and purchased it and came back and presented it to me as a gift.  It was a generous gift, given with a noble heart. I thank her as it brings me along the path of understanding and lifts me to a higher understanding of God’s creation. An understanding of other beliefs and maybe an understanding of Jesus statement “that in my Father’s kingdom, there are many mansions.”

There is a wonderful wisdom and ancient truths in the teachings of Budda.  Reading this book has brought me a serenity, which I am very grateful to my unknown friend Yiwen for.  I hope that one day I can return to San Francisco and repay her kindness with a gift to her. The kindness of a pure stranger with a noble heart gave me a belief in the goodness of all peoples and races.

Chapter 17 Hope

                                                   
I arrived back from San Francisco on the 7th January 2008. The bright blue skies, the bustling city and the wonderful restaurants my cousin John Cleary took us to, all helped to ease my tortured soul. Everyday John had plans for us and things to see. It distracted me and allowed my poor tired mind to recharge, without this two week break, I could not have survived.

14th January 2008

Dear Tom,
  A happy and prosperous 2008!…  And success and justice!!  Please invite your solicitor to call me at his convenience. We have not located the ‘Samaritans’ and doubt their existence. With respect to the ticket issue, what we CAN show is that Michael had sufficient funds for any accommodation until the end of his planned stay and that he could (both physically and financially) have left Botswana for Johannesburg on the day that he allegedly wished to do so and that he had sufficient funds to have upgraded his ticket and left Africa for home.
Regards,
Jenny
 
          On the 17th of January, I travelled to Connaught with my brother Peter to see my new solicitor Mr John. We left Peter’s home at 8.40am. Just as we left there was lightening and thunder right over Mitchelstown, it was as if God was telling us how angry he was with the evil that had overtaken the area. As I drove towards Ballylanders, I had to listen to Peter moan, “how much is this going to cost?” 
I said, “I have no idea!” 
“I don’t want to spend anymore money on this,” Peter informed me.
“Peter, what are you talking about? You haven’t spent a single penny on this investigation. I have spent E20,000.00 and you haven’t contributed a cent.”  
“You would not want to spend any more money on this,” he advised. 
“I am not going to spend any more money on it,” he added.  
“Peter, get it into your head, you haven’t contributed a penny to the investigation!” I informed him. 
“I don’t want to spend any more money and I would advise you to save your money too,” he moaned. 
“Peter”, I replied, “I have come this far, I have nearly got the case blown wide open, I am going all the way whatever it takes, someone is going to stand trial for the death of my brother Mike. They are not going to get away with murder. A very wise man once said, that for evil to prosper, all it requires is for good men to say nothing, I am not going to condone evil by my silence."
He did not answer me and we drove in silence for a little while, I then changed the subject because I knew he was obsessed about the money.
I asked, “Peter how did you get on at the horse sales before Christmas?” 
“The sales were terrible”, he stated. I was only getting E4000.00 for the colt and I brought him home, most horses were selling for under a E1000.00.”
“The auctioneer put a lot of pressure on me to put him on the market, but I had a reserve of E5000.00 on him and I would not sell for a penny less.” 
“You should have put him on the market,” I said, “he would have gone more then and the market is not going to improve as there is a major recession on the way, you will be lucky to get E4000.00 for him in three years time." 
We continued to argue about the money, he would likely get and it passed the time and kept his mind off the cost of the investigation. We arrived in Connaught at 11.10am and made our way to solicitor John. We eventually at 11.30am were in Johns’ presence and he discussed the case with us, prior to telephoning Jenny Wild in South Africa.

20th January 2008
Dear Tom,

I received a most surprising telephone call this morning – Sunday, 20th January 2008 at 8h40 from the Investigating Officer, from Palapye tasked with the “investigation” into Michael’s death – Assistant Superintendent Ngwato.  He wanted a “written” report from me and asked if it was true that Shathani is being prosecuted in Ireland.  It sounds like ‘our friend’ from the Irish Embassy in Mozambique has been in contact with him.  Strange, isn’t it?
Jenny

Dear Tom,
  Further to your visit to our offices.

I have endeavoured to speak to Noel O’Doherty but he is not in his office and I left a message for him to return my call.
 I think we should carry out searches to establish ownership of the farm of your late brother Michael. Could you please provide us with details so that we can carry out searches in this regard?  It might also be important to establish the ownership of his other properties which you refer to as investment properties both in Cork and Wexford.  Could you provide us a list of locations and we can make searches.
Sincerely,
Mr John



On the 11th February I did a search of  the Irish Medical Council website and did a check on a Doctor’s Registration for Shathani Mugoma. It gave me the following information.
Address:   PO Box 10058, 
                 Ramotsuna,
                 Botswana,
                 Southern Africa
Sex:          Male
Registration Date:  26th July 2007
Primary Qualification:  MB BCh NUI
Description:                  Bachelor in Medicine and Bachelor in Surgery
University:                    National University of Ireland
Conferral Date:             15th June 2006

My brother Michael had attended this conferral as a guest of Mugoma.  It was while he attended this conferral that Dr Shathani invited him to attend his wedding in Botswana in December.  He informed Michael, that he was the first person to be invited to his wedding.  This was just two weeks after the CPA had informed the Mitchelstown Gardai that Michael’s disabled daughter had never been abused by anyone and they had closed the file on the case.  So those who coached Lelia to make the allegations against Michael had seen their genius plan fail; so now they had devised a final solution to be rid of Michael so they could take his property for themselves.

21st February 2008
Dear Tom,
We established that Goreta Ogotseng was NOT at the Airport… in fact she had never left Botswana.  We now know if she was driving the hired car… she had no legal right to do so… she was not permitted under the terms of the car hire agreement to do so.  She was not found for interview.
J.W.

I told Jenny Wild that when we rang Palapye Hospital on December 2006 and again on the 29th May 2007, that they refused to answer any questions and referred us to Ngwato. Ngwato was surprised to get a call from Ireland and immediately referred us to Shathani Mugoma.

Dear Tom,
 
When George and I first officially attended on Palapye Hospital, the same happened to us… we had to wait until Ngwato arrived there… only to be sent to Gaborone to get the Hospital Records.  We also found him to be pretty sly…but he was a bit in awe of  us.  Accordingly Ngwato was very careful with me… and showed me his whole docket – such as it was- …and then photocopied the statements and gave them to me. He refused to copy the correspondence and Margaret McGrath’s Power of Attorney to Mugoma- although George and I read the documents.
A local contact has reported to us that there has been a huge “shake up” at the Palapye Police Station. 
J.W.

Chapter 18 Marie McGrath’s Evidential Letter

“Having seen at first hand the workings of the forces of law in this state, I can only say this country is slowly sinking into a cess pit of judicial excrement into which it is sinking ever deeper.”

Thomas Mc Grath

                                   
On the 18th February I decided to ring Sergeant Paul Reidy at Mallow Garda station. 
“Any progress in the investigation into my brother’s murder?” I asked. 
“We are waiting to interview Dr. Shathani and our information is that he left Ireland at the end of June 2007 and returned to Botswana, I have made enquiries through Interpol and they have confirmed that he is in Botswana.” 
“So now you are going to do nothing, just as I suspected from the beginning,” I said. 
“No, that is not true. I am investigating the case to the best of my ability. If you have any information that can help us I would appreciate getting it,” said Sergeant Reidy.  “I have applied to the department of justice to travel to Botswana to interview Dr. Shathani,” he said. 
“The last place he is going to be found is Botswana, they have the death penalty there and he is not going to risk his neck by going back there,” I said.
“Do you have information about where he is? Are you withholding information from me?” asked Sergeant Reidy peevishly. 
“I gave you definite information that Shathani committed perjury at the Coroner’s Court at the beginning of October, it has taken you five months to decide to look for him, you are only a joke!” I said. 
“I don’t know if Dr. Shathani has committed perjury or not, I am not the DPP or a judge, I can’t say he has committed perjury, he has not been convicted by any court,” said Sergeant Reidy. 
“I gave you definite verifiable evidence of substantial perjury six months ago and you have done nothing about it,” I said. 
“Have you got information on Dr. Shathani’s whereabouts?” asked Reidy. 
“I gave you information which proved that Shathani committed perjury six months ago and you spent six months fluting about doing nothing, I told you then that unless I had proof that you were an honest cop I would give you no more information,” I stated. 
“Are you withholding information from me?” asked sergeant Reidy. 
“I have loads of more information but I am not giving it to any Gardai, you are all corrupt!” I said and put down the phone.

I was shaking and angry, this policeman was trying to bully me into giving him the information I possessed even though he had spent six months pretending to investigate the very definite perjury of Shathani at the Mallow Coroner’s Court.  He was also aware through the original statement I had given him that two of his Garda colleagues had also committed perjury! I certainly was not going to give him access to the information I had acquired through my investigator in South Africa, so that he could pass it on to his corrupt colleagues for transfer to Dr. Shathani Mugoma.

A few hours later I decided to ring Jenny Wild and tell her of my conversation with Sergeant Reidy and his assertion that Shathani was back in Botswana since early July 2007. 
“Hello Jenny, this is Tom McGrath here, how are you?” I asked. 
“I am fine, more important how are you?” she asked. 
“ I am not too bad,” I said.
“The reason I rang you was I was just speaking with sergeant Reidy and he informed me, that he has been informed by Interpol that Shathani is in Botswana since the end of June or early July 2007, could this be true?” I asked. 
“No, he could not be back in Botswana, there are only seven hospitals in the country and he is not working in any of them.”
“To work as a GP he would need the authority of the Minister for Health and the Minister complained that all the students the government had sponsored to study medicine abroad including Shathani, not one had returned,” she said. “I will make further enquiries through my contacts in the South African secret service, but I am sure he is not in Botswana, there is no record of him returning.”
“Is his supposed wife still there?” I asked. 
“Yes, she is still there,” said Jenny.
“If Sergeant Reidy has been informed by Interpol that Mugoma is in Botswana, they must have supplied an address for him, can you get the address and I will check it out if he is there?” asked Jenny.
"I will ring the Minister straight away and ask him to supply the address to you,” I said. 
“I cannot see him coming back to Botswana, he knows they have the death penalty there, I would love to see him back there, we could move to have him arrested immediately” said Jenny. 
“Thank you Jenny, I will be back to you If I have any address, I don’t expect any, the Irish Gardai are totally corrupt,” I replied.
“We will get justice for Michael, the net is tightening on them it is just a matter of being patient and determined, we are nearly there.”
“I am collecting the report from Professor Kali of Rhodes University next Thursday, he has put all the information we have gathered together in a uniform report,” said Jenny. 
“We will get justice for Michael,” she promised.
“Thank you Jenny, may God bless you and keep you safe,” I replied. 
“Thank you, Tom, you are an inspiration to all of us investigating the case,” said Jenny. 
“I will be in touch when I have any further news, goodbye. ”I said.
“Goodbye, Tom."

As soon as I had finished my conversation I rang Michael Ahern in Dublin. 
“Hello Michael, Tom McGrath here, I have been talking to Sergeant Reidy and to Jenny Wild today,” I said. 
“Hello Tom”, said Michael. “What is the latest news?”
“Sergeant Reidy claims he has been told by Interpol that Shathani is back in Botswana and that he has applied to the department of justice to travel out there to interview him.”
“Jenny Wild said he is definitely not in Botswana and that if Interpol informed him that he is there, they must have supplied an address for him.” 
“That is very interesting, I will be seeing the minister tomorrow and I will discuss the latest developments with him, it will be very interesting to see if Sergeant Reidy has applied for permission to travel to Botswana,” said Michael. 
“Thank you Michael, I really appreciate that Let me know if they have an address for Shathani and Jenny Wild will have it checked immediately,” I replied. 
“Do you trust Reidy?” asked Michael. 
“No, I don’t trust any Gardai anymore,” I replied. 
“Keep me informed of developments and I will see what I can find out for you,” said Michael. 
“Thank you for everything let me know if you have anything, goodbye for now," I said.
“Goodbye and good luck” said Michael.

When Kitty came home I recalled for her the days events. “They are caught whatever way they turn now” she said. 
I called to see my neighbour and friend Tommy O’Gorman and told him of the days happenings. “You have those crooks tied up in knots now,” he said.  So we went and got an Irish Coffee at the Corbett Court Hotel and for good measure had a toasted special as well.  On the way back I decided to call see my nephew Tom who had just returned from Australia.  I informed him of the day’s events. “They are like a bunch of hungry rats in a barrel, soon they will tear each other apart as they try to escape blame for what has happened,” said Tom.

On Tuesday at 12.00 noon I was walking down the street in Fermoy and met Sergeant, now Inspector Tony O’Sullivan, who I had not seen since the first week of June 2007, when I had asked him if he was going to “charge Shathani with perjury?.” 
He had replied that “perjury was very difficult to prove and he saw no reason to investigate it.” He looked much smaller than when I last saw him, his pallor was grey, he looked like a man under a lot of pressure. He stopped and asked “How are you?” 
“Not very well, how could I be?” I replied.
“I am sorry about your brother,” said Inspector O’Sullivan.
“You know I hired a private investigator to get the truth and she has proved beyond any doubt that Mike was murdered,” I said.
“I heard they were investigating a couple of cases for perjury," said O’Sullivan. 
“Needless to say they can’t find him,” I said. “He has gone on the run, they said he is in Botswana, but he is not in Botswana because they have the death penalty there. If you had listened to me when I told you Shathani was committing perjury at the Coroner’s Court they would not have got away with murder,” I said. 
“We did everything we could,” said Inspector O’Sullivan lamely.
“My investigator is forwarding the report of the investigation next week,” I said.
“I would like to see the report when you get it,” said Inspector O’Sullivan hopefully.
“Of course you will see it”, I said “the whole country will see it” and I walked away.
When Kitty came home I recalled my conversation with O’Sullivan. 
“You are not going to show him the report?” she asked.
"Do you think I am a simpleton?” I asked. 
“Just checking.” she said.
That evening I enjoyed watching Liverpool beat Inter Milan in the Champions League and then I went to my computer and recorded the events of the last two days. I feel we are getting closer to breaking open the case. My birthday is in ten days time I want the most special gift in my entire life, justice for my beloved brother Michael.


On the 21st February 2008, I got this information from Jenny Wild:
We established that Goreta Ogotseng was NOT at the airport… in fact she had never left Botswana.  We do not know if she was driving the hired car … if she was she had no legal right to do so… she was not permitted under the terms of the car hire agreement to do so.  She was not found for interview.
    When George and I first officially attended on Palapye Hospital (we were videoing there without authorisation the day before) the same happened to us… we had to wait until Ngwato arrived there… only to be sent to Gaborone to get the Hospital Records. We also found him to be pretty sly… but he was a bit in awe of me, because I took credentials with me… a commendation by the Minister of Intelligence Services, South Africa to Parliament to whom I was a Consultant and who had appointed me as one of two civilians onto the National Classification and Declassification Review Committee to set and implement policy on all Government Information (including classified )… she calls me ‘an eminent scholar’.  Ngwato, accordingly was very careful with me… and showed me his whole “docket” – such as it was – and then photocopied the statements and gave them to me.  He would not copy the correspondence and Margaret (Lynch) McGrath’s Power of Attorney to Mugoma – although George and I read the documents. Local informants have reported that there has been a huge ‘shake up’ at the Palapye Police Station.
  
On the 25th February I sent this letter and accompanying evidence to the Irish Medical Council.

Dear Mr Sidebottom,
                  I wish to confirm that I wish to have my correspondence considered by the Fitness to Practice Committee into the conduct of Dr.Shatani Mugoma.
 I want immediate action taken to have this man suspended as he is very clearly unfit to practice as a doctor.  I am supplying you with a copy of Dr. Mugoma’s sworn statement to the Coroner’s Court at Mallow on the 30th May 2007.  I am supplying you with factual information, which proves that Dr. Mugoma committed substantial perjury thereby deliberately obstructing the course of justice.

I am giving you:
(1)	Copy of receipt from Shandon Travel for Michael’s car hire, pre-paid in full on the 22/11/2006.
(2)	 Copy of letter from Ambassador Frank Sheridan, which contradicts Mugoma’s statement at the Coroner’s Court that “they went directly to the hospital?”
(3)	Statement signed by Michael’s brothers and friends verifying that Michael always had very large sums of cash on his person.
(4)	Text messages from Dr. Mugoma to Michael’s mobile phone on the 22nd and 26th November; seeking money to pay for the ‘wedding’?
(5)	 On the 16th September 2006, I was travelling to the UK with Michael and Tom O’Gorman when Mugoma rang him looking for money to pay a ‘dowry’ (?) to his brides family.  Michael confirmed to me that he had deposited the money to Dr. Mugoma’s bank account at UCC on the 20th September 2006. There is an independent witness to this.
(6)	 Evidence of Dr. Mugoma lying when he said in his statement, “ Michael, my wife and I left in a Nissan Almera hired from Euro International cars, I think Michael was driving at that point”.
(7)	 Dr. Mugoma lied about paying for Michael’s hire car using his (Dr. Mugoma’s) visa card.  Quote from Mugoma’s statement:
 “ After having travelled by bus at 12md there was a mix up with the rental cars, at the airport resulting in me using my visa card to hire Michael’s car”.

As you will see from reading Dr. Mugoma’s statement and the factual information I am supplying you with he tried to portray my brother as a man with no money.    Michael McGrath was a multi millionaire, his weekly income was 4,000.00 euros from various sources.  He was very aware of the overall value of his property empire and the fabricated stories of Dr. Mugoma do not stand up to scrutiny.
 Sergeant Paul Reidy of Mallow Garda Station has been investigating Dr. Mugoma’s perjury and is satisfied that he has serious questions to answer.  He is planning to travel to Botswana to interview Dr. Mugoma.

I have hired an investigator in South Africa, who is satisfied that she has enough proof to bring a case against Dr. Shathani Mugoma for the murder of my brother Michael McGrath on the 12/13th December 2006 in Botswana.  She is supplying me with an interim report this week; which contains video evidence as well as affidavits which confirm Dr. Mugoma’s obvious perjury.
The safety of patients whether they are in Ireland, Botswana or anywhere else are the responsibility of the Irish Medical Council as the licensing authority who gave Mugoma his doctors degree.  The information my investigator has amassed and is continuing to gather proves Dr. Mugoma to be a very deceitful and dangerous person.
I have access to information which at this time I cannot pass on to you as I do not wish to forewarn Mugoma of his imminent arrest for murder.  I am however prepared to travel to Dublin and allow the committee of the Irish Medical Council to view the interim report by my investigator, Advocate Jennifer Wild.
   Jennifer Wild has done work for:
(1)	Amnesty International
(2)	Norwegian Aid
(3)	The Maurice Webb Foundation
(4)	The South African Government.
Her credentials are above reproach and her work in uncovering the truth has been remarkable and the evidence she has uncovered is of a very dangerous Dr. Mugoma.  I have done my duty in exposing a rogue doctor.  It is you duty to deal with him immediately without giving him information that will allow him to evade justice.
   Yours sincerely,
                  Tom McGrath

On the 4th March 2008 this reply from the IMC:

Dear Mr McGrath,
           Thank you for your letter of the 25th February 2008, providing more detail concerning your complaint against Dr. Shathani Mugoma.

   Your letter of complaint has been forwarded to Dr. Mugoma with a request that he provide his observations and comments concerning your complaint.  On receipt of these observations and comments, a copy may be sent to you for your response, if any.  Once the Committee is satisfied that all relevant material is before it, it will make a decision as to whether or not your complaint gives grounds for holding of an inquiry which is similar to a hearing before a Court or Tribunal.

If the Committee does decide to hold an inquiry, you may be required to attend before the Committee and give sworn evidence in support of your complaint.  I will, however, write to you in more detail in the event that an inquiry is to be held.

You will appreciate, therefore, that it may take some time before a decision can be made in relation to your complaint. Should you have any queries please do not hesitate to contact me.
Yours sincerely,
   John Sidebottom
 Senior Executive Officer,  Professional Standards

On the 10th March 2008, I rang Mr Sidebottom and asked him “if they had studied the information I had sent them regarding Dr. Mugoma?”
He replied, “That they had not read my complaint, but that they had put it in an envelope with a request to Dr. Mugoma to give his comments and observations on your complaint!”  

I said: “I cannot believe what you have done, I sent you information linking Dr. Mugoma to my brother Michael’s murder and you sent him the information I gave you without even reading it!”  I said, “Do you realise you have put peoples lives in danger by what you have done”.
He said, “ I am sorry, but that is the procedure with complaints, it is clearly stated in the information paper I sent you on the 20th February”.
I said, “ I gave you confidential information linking Dr. Mugoma to murder and you post it to him, what kind of organisation are you, every official agency in this country is corrupt!” and I put down the phone.

I decided to fax a copy of my complaint to solicitor John with this letter:

Dear John,

I am sending you copies of my correspondence with the Irish Medical Council in relation to Dr. Shathani Mugoma.  I believe the Irish Medical Council are in serious breech of trust and total breech of confidentiality to me.
They are also guilty of endangering the lives of their informant (Tom McGrath) and my investigator (Jenny Wild).  They have given my name, address and telephone number to someone who we believe we can establish was involved in the murder of Michael McGrath.  They have given confidential information to someone who is suspected of murder to enable him to evade justice.

I wish you to take whatever legal action is possible, immediately, against the Irish Medical Council.  I believe they have shown themselves unfit to act as regulatory body for medical doctors.
  Signed :  Tom McGrath

I very shortly afterwards got a phone call from Mr John:
“ I cannot believe that you have been so irresponsible as to undermine all the good work of Jenny Wild by disclosing this information to the medical council, you have seriously undermined her investigation and I have telephoned her to tell her that you have endangered her life.  There is no justification for what you have done, you are totally irresponsible”.

On the 12th March 2008, I received this letter from solicitor John:
 Re: Your late brother Michael McGrath
I refer to the fax dated 10th March. I telephoned you immediately I read the fax and the enclosures because I was shocked to see what you had done.

I informed you in that call of how I felt that you were responsible for what now emerges from your complaints to the Medical Council.  You consider the Medical Council to be in beach of trust and confidentiality to you.  The Medical Council forewarned you in their letter of the 20th February 2008 and they enclosed with that letter a document “making a complaint against a doctor” which sets out the complaint procedure.
 Notwithstanding the specific letter from the Medical Council and the outline of the complaints procedure, you nevertheless wrote to them on the 25th February setting out very serious allegations and providing information which the Medical Council had forewarned you would be submitted to Dr. Mugoma.
The writer is incredulous that you should write in the terms of your letter of the 25th February and that you thereby decided to ignore the clear directions which were given to you by the Medical Council on the 20th February.
We believe that you have endangered the life of Jennifer Wild, we have written to her to advise her of what has occurred.  We believe that you have also seriously undermined her investigation.
In answer to the writer when he telephoned you, you informed us that you took this action because you felt that there was nothing being done for you.  You did not give us the benefit of advising you in relation to what you proposed to do with the Medical Council and we see that you first commenced correspondence with them on the 12th February.  In that letter you suggest that later this month you will present evidence that Dr. Mugoma had a direct input into the unlawful killing of your brother Michael McGrath.  Certainly your investigator Jenny Wild is collecting evidence but we feel it is an exaggeration for you to suggest that you have evidence which you will present later this month.
We can only expect that Dr. Mugoma has received the correspondence you have addressed to the Medical Council.  It was you who made the decision to involve the Medical Council.   You did not seek our advice in relation to that and had you sought our advice, we would have prohibited you from doing this as it had the potential for not only endangering J. Wild but also of frustrating her efforts to bring about a satisfactory investigation and the assembly of the necessary evidence against Dr. Shathani.
If we, as solicitors, had written to the Medical Council in the terms that you have written to them then certainly we would be before our professional body with a serious case to answer.
The writer anticipates that because we are so direct with you with regard to what we perceive to be very inadvisable even dangerous act by you, you will now wish to dispense with our services. In this event would you please so inform us and we will send you our account for services to date.
Yours faithfully,
Mr John

On the 9th March 2008 I emailed Fr Paud and said I would pray for his recovery and I asked him to pray for Jenny Wild’s safety.

On the 12th March 2008 he sent me this reply:
Right Tom, I will offer mass for her safety.
 P.O’Donnell

12/03/2008
 Dear Tom,
An interim report- without interviewing the Doctor who admitted Michael to Palapye Hospital ( which I deem essential) will be available on the 15th Match 2008.
A final report,- after interviewing the Doctor and deploying agents to find the assassin/s- will be ready on the 31st March2008.  The latter activities are what require me to return to Botswana,- Brian Cutler is now able to accompany me.
The final report will be compelling to the authorities in Ireland and Botswana – because it will leave no loose ends – except those where authorities in Botswana did not do their job in the first place.
 J.W.

15th March 2008, my reply to solicitor John.
  Dear Mr. John,
              I was left extremely perplexed and disappointed by our conversation last week and your letter. I at no time have set out to undo any of the work of Jenny Wild, least of all to endanger her life. Since the 15th December 2006 there isn’t a waking hour, of any day of the week that I do not think of the death of my brother Michael.  I feel I have let him down knowing that those who conspired to murder him are still free as a bird with nobody investigating them or their activities. They are swanning about in their new 4-wheel drives without a care in the world.  For the two and a half years before Michael’s death, he was surrounded by vultures who saw his wealth as an opportunity to line their own pockets. Many of these people were involved in the law in one way or another.  Some of them were members of your profession.  Some of them were supposedly members upholding the law, the Gardai.

It comes as no surprise to me that the sole function of the Irish Medical Council is to protect a perjurer and murderer without question.  That by their rules, they can see fit to allow a murderer, to have patients at his mercy as a medical doctor registered by the IMC, must surely bring their organisation into total disrepute.
 Most of the information I sent to the IMC was already given to Dr. Shathani, some as far back as March 2007. 
I had given items 1,2,4,5 and 7 to the Mitchelstown Gardai. 
Item number 3 was not signed by Michael’s brothers and friends until the 15th June 2007, but both Peter and I had told the Mitchelstown Gardai that he always carried large sums of money on his person, in a wallet which was attachéd to his belt by a chain.  I tried to raise these matters at the Coroner’s Court in Mallow on the 30th May 2007 but was ruled inadmissible by the Coroner.  The travel agent at Shandon Travel Lorraine, had informed my wife and I, categorically that Mugoma had not used his credit card to pay for Michael’s hire car, as Michael had paid this money in cash on the 22nd November 2006. This information was supplied to the Mitchelstown Gardai as we were aware of the importance of this from late December 2006. 

In numerous conversations with sergeant Tony O’Sullivan, superintendent Flor Horan and superintendent Con Cadogan I had given this information to them.  From December 2006 to October 2007 not one Garda checked with the Travel Agent to verify my evidence.  Yet, in the statement of evidence given by detective Garda James Fitzpatrick of Mitchelstown Garda Station, to the Coroner’s Court on the 30th May 2007, he tried to undermine my factual information with his statement and    I quote:  “ I have with, Garda Denis Ryan, carried out certain inquiries and taken witness statements in relation to this matter.  On the 23/3/2007 and on 14/5/2007 I put all of the allegations as per Thomas McGrath’s email to Dr. Shathani Mugoma and he denied all the allegations. This statement is correct”.

I expected you to be aware of what Shathani knew before you tore strips off me on the phone.  He knew from his cronies in Palapye that Jenny Wild had been there investigating my brother’s murder.  So there was very little in my letter to the IMC that Shathani was not already aware of. The only thing new available to him was my address and mobile number and I would be surprised if he did not already have that from Margaret Lynch and the Gardai.  In his statement he gave a veiled hint that he knew where I lived because anyone climbing the Mountain beside me could clearly see my house.  

This brings me to my letter to the Irish Medical Council.  I was brought up to believe in right and wrong.  I went to school in Mount Melleray where the monks instilled in me the belief that I should always stand up for what is right, even if it is not the convenient or easy thing to do.  In writing to the IMC and providing them with factual evidence about a very deceitful and dangerous doctor, I wanted them to ensure that Dr. Shathani could not inflict pain on any other family, as he has done to me.  Be that a family in Ireland, in Europe or a black family in Botswana or anywhere in the world.  That the IMC should take the action they have is morally indefensible.  But of course morally indefensible positions , are regularly taken up by those practicing law.   It is only a few months ago since a learned barrister was of the opinion that because Majella Holohan had very legitimate questions about the murder of her son and expressed them in public,
 “ he felt the murderer should be released immediately”. 
He believed her questioning the justice system, was a bigger crime than his client cutting off the life of a child.
 That he could even express such an opinion, about a murderer who had gone to great lengths to conceal his crime, shows how depraved the practice of law has become in this country.  That the learned judge involved in the case should make an issue of it, shows how low our whole judicial system has sunk. Having seen at first hand the workings of the forces of law in this state, I can only say this country is slowly sinking into a cess pit of judicial excrement into which it is sinking ever deeper.

As soon as my brother’s case has been dealt with, I am going to move permanently out of this country because there is no future for any decent person in a country with such a corrupt police force and twisted judicial system, not to mention what we see on a daily basis from all the tribunals.
If all the people who involved themselves in Margaret Lynch’s machiavellian stunts before and after Michael’s death are not brought to account for their deeds, I will insist on a sworn judicial inquiry into every thing that has happened from the time Margaret Lynch left my brother’s home in May 2004 until now - Involving Gardai, solicitors, judges, the family, Michael O’Keeffe and his sons John and Noel.

I am very interested in what email Fitzpatrick refers to in his dismissive statement to the Coroner’s Court, as the only email I provided to the Gardai was the one from Ambassador Frank Sheridan of the end of December 2006/ early January 2007.   This was at the very early stages of my investigation into Michael’s death. (A time when I had only limited information). Again as soon as I started asking difficult questions of the Ambassador, he shut up on me.
 When I asked Tony O’Sullivan to see Shathani’s statement, he refused, similarly Horan and Cadogan. 
When I asked them for a copy of Shathani’s statement after the Coroner’s Court, they refused. 
When I asked O’Sullivan after the Coroner’s Court if he would be investigating Shathani’s obvious perjury, he said “perjury is impossible to prove!” (It’s interesting to note that a sergeant who does not believe that anyone can commit perjury has been promoted to inspector).
When I asked the IMC to take action against this doctor Shathani, they can do nothing only offer to engage in a long term cosy chat with him.
 I find it beyond belief that since December 2006, that as soon as I ask difficult questions of anybody in authority, they hide behind the all embracing deceit of ‘it’s The Law’.

The only information that I presented the IMC with was the ‘record from the SA border post’ and the information that ‘Ngwato had confirmed that Goreta Ogotseng had not left Botswana’.  The fact that Shathani’s crony Ngwato, had inadvertently destroyed his alibi, possibly puts Ngwato’s life in danger.  But that may not be a bad thing, because I don’t believe Ngwato’s death will be a great loss to society in Botswana.  Ngwato provided false witness and false witnesses in Palapye for Shathani about my brother’s murder. 
This false witness was critical in the Coroner arriving at an ‘Open Verdict’ and not a verdict of murder.

In your letter you state  that you have written to Jenny Wild to advise her of what has occurred and that you ‘believe that “I” have endangered her life’.  I keep in regular contact by phone and by email with Jenny.  In the weeks of February we discussed her security travelling in Botswana at length.  I had advised her to take whatever protection she required with her, regardless of cost and that I would pay her this money in advance.  She gave me an estimate for the cost of extra armed detectives and I forwarded this money by electonic transfer to her solicitor in South Africa.  She indicated that she was entering the most dangerous element of her investigation in identifying the ‘assassins’.

In your letter you state that if “ we as solicitors, had written to the Medical Council in the terms that you have written to them then certainly we would be before our professional body with a serious case to answer”. 
I can only say that the Law Society must keep a clinically clean body of people serving the public.  Yet one of your brethren, solicitor Ciaran O’Keeffe from Mitchelstown could advise my brother Michael to “plead guilty to abusing Lelia as you will get a lighter sentence”. 
 Advising someone: falsely arrested and accused of a crime that the Child Protection Agency proved never happened; to plead guilty. I don’t suppose that comes under the scrutiny of your impeccably saintly professional body.  It is all right for a solicitor to actively assist corrupt gardai to try to put an innocent man in jail for a crime that never happened! 

But if you wrote to the Irish Medical Council as I have ‘with proof that one of it’s doctors is a danger to the public’, ‘then certainly we would be before our professional body with a serious case to answer’.   Looking at these two cases, which are linked directly to my dead brother Michael, have you any questions that you might ask this ‘professional body’ to which you belong?

I see from your letter that you wish to walk away from this case.  It is fine for you that you can just send on a bill and forget about the manner of my brother Michael’s death.  I do not have that luxury.  Every day I see his terrified blackening decaying face before me, as I saw it on the night of Sunday 7th January 2007 at 9.45pm, at O’Brien’s funeral home.  I believe you do not realise how much information we had given to the Mitchelstown Gardai, prior to the Coroner’s Court.  All of which was passed on to Dr. Shathani by collaborating Gardai, he must have really enjoyed tailoring his statement to make a mockery of the evidence I had produced.  He was certain that however absurd a lie, he told in his statement, it would have the full backing of the Mitchelstown Gardai.

Yours sincerely,
                 Tom McGrath

14/4/2008 I decided to write to Michael Ahern TD for NE Cork.

Michael,
There are some disturbing facts that must be faced.

No.(1)  The post-mortem on the 8th January 2007 and the Coroner’s Court on the 30th May 2007, were both, the product of the intervention of Michael McDowell; the then Minister for Justice.
No.(2) Nothing has happened in over a year, under the present Minister for Justice, Brian Lenihan.
No.(3) The pretend investigation by sergeant Paul Reidy of Mallow Garda station, can now six months later be seen for what it is,- nothing but a whitewash of his corrupt colleagues.
No.(4) There has been enough factual information available since late December 2006 to warrant direct intervention by both the Department of Justice and the Department of Foreign Affairs.
No.(5)  When I asked for help from the Dept.of Foreign Affairs in 2007, the only intervention I got was Mr Feeney from the Embassy in Mozambique, ringing my investigator to tell her that “I was not Michael’s next of kin and was therefore not entitled to investigate his death”.
No.(6)  There has been no inquiries, at Foreign Affairs Ministerial level with the Botswana authorities to; ‘Request a proper investigation of the death of my brother, Michael McGrath, an Irish citizen.
No.(7)  The statement of detective James Fitzpatrick to the Coroner’s Court in Mallow can be shown to be deliberately misleading and an utter falsehood. I quote “ I have with Gda. D. Ryan, carried out certain inquiries and taken statements in relation to this matter.  On the 23/3.2007 and on the 14/5/2007 I put all the allegations as per Thomas McGrath’s email to Dr. Shatani Mugoma and he denied all the allegations.  This statement is correct”.  This statement was deliberately worded to give the impression that he had investigated the factual evidence that I had given the Gardai and that I was lying.  That Mugoma and Fitzpatrick were telling the truth.
No.(8)  The Minister has now asked the same people who lied at the Coroner’s Court, for a report, how immoral, improper and utterly useless and time wasting is that?
No.(9) Has the Minister any idea at all of how to conduct an inquiry to uncover the truth from a mafia of corrupt policemen, who operate a system of omerta, to protect each other from any retribution for any actions by them however reprehensible or unlawful.
No.(10) I am going to expose this case on the media on the 1st May, if action isn’t taken now.
No.(11) The most basic right of any human being is the right to life. Michael McGrath has had the most fundamental right of all taken from him, along with several other rights which were denied him by agents of the state in the two and a half years before his murder.  Rights,  which if they had been upheld; would have discouraged those who conspired to murder him, from doing so.

What must be done, if there is anything remotely resembling justice in this country:
(1)	Michael O’Keeffe of Island, Carrignavar, Co. Cork and Marie McGrath must be investigated by outside police for their malicious and wrongful attempt to have Michael McGrath, committed to a secure mental asylum in (May)  2004.  They must further be charged with deliberate ‘waste of police time’.
(2)	 Margaret Lynch McGrath must be investigated for perjury at the (family) court sitting of Judge Patwell where it was proven that ‘she wrongfully accused Michael McGrath of abusing her and the children’.
(3)	[a]An investigation into who coached Lelia McGrath to accuse her father of sexually abusing her must be undertaken.                                                                               [b] The actions of the Gardai in arresting Michael McGrath on the May bank holiday of 2006 and their holding him at Mitchelstown Garda station for 6 hours must be investigated and explained.                                                                             
[c] The intervention of solicitor (provided by the Gardai),  O’Keeffe to advise Michael McGrath “to plead guilty, as you will receive a lesser sentence”, needs to be fully investigated by the Gardai and the Law Society.                              
[d] The allegation by superintendent Flor Horan to my brother Peter and I, on the 27th December 2006; when we were pressing to have our brother Michael’s death properly investigated, that Michael had a case to answer in relation to child sexual abuse must be fully investigated and explained in public.                                                                                                                                            
[e]  That the same allegation was made by garda Denis Ryan and detective James Fitzpatrick, the last week of May 2007 must also be fully investigated and explained in public.                                                                                                                 
 [f] All the corrupt Gardai involved must be brought to justice and tried in public court.
(4)	That Michael McGrath was murdered is now beyond doubt.  Those who conspired to benefit from his death must now be questioned by a serious Garda team from outside this area.
(5)	 There has been too much tardiness by the Gardai, in every investigation carried out to date into Michael’s murder.  It is amazing the speed with which Margaret Lynch McGrath could get the Gardai to react again and again in her persecution of Michael McGrath.  But when I try to get my brother’s murder investigated, there isn’t the remotest interest by the Gardai, the Department of Justice, the Minister for Justice, the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Minister for Foreign Affairs. There would be a more determined investigation if a dog was killed by having it’s throat cut!                                                                                   What was her inside track with the Gardai?                                                                                    
[a] Was it money?                                                                                                                         
[b] Was it sex?                                                                                                                                 
[c] Was the connection O’Keeffe?  ( The name  O’Keeffe appears prominently in 2 very seriously malicious attempts to destroy Michael McGrath, prior to his murder).
(6)	 Is there any such thing in the Irish police force anymore as a murder squad?  Is detective James Fitzpatrick now the best the state can offer in the investigation of my brother’s murder?  Maybe it might be sergeant, now inspector Tony O’Sullivan?             
                                                                                                                                   
     Regards, Tom

On the 9thMay 2008, I got this very revealing missive from the Irish Medical Council:
Dear Mr. McGrath,
      I refer to previous correspondence concerning your complaint against Dr. Shathani Mugoma.  I now enclose a copy of Dr. Mugoma’s observations and comments and invite you to provide, in writing, any response you may wish to make in the matter.
 It would be appreciated if you could reply on or before 28th May 2008, in order that the Committee may be in a position to consider the matter at its next meeting.
   Yours sincerely,
       John Sidebottom.

  
 Dr. Shatani’s reply to my evidence about his lies in his sworn statement.
 PO Box 10058
Ramotswa,
Botswana.
Dear Mr Sidebottom

                               RE: 1. REF D11/08/277482/JS
 My observations and comments in response to Tom McGrath correspondence are as follows:

    I have known Mr. Michael McGrath since 2002 as stated in the coroner’s statement.  Michael’s death has been investigated by superintendent Ngwato of the Botswana police,  and all the correspondences were read at the coroner’s inquest on the 30th May 2007 at the courthouse, Mallow, Co.Cork. Please contact Mr. Ngwato for all the correspondences.  Michael McGrath died at Palapye primary hospital as documented in both the medical report and police reports through self inflicted injuries at the same hospital even though he was under 24 hours observation.

Regarding the allegations contained in Mr. Tom McGrath’s letter;  it is indeed a burden not only for me but also for Mr. Michael McGrath’s family.  I am receiving emails from the family stating that there are concerned for their safety; he even published the corpse photos on the star newspaper on Sunday 30thMarch which they found disturbing and many more other tabloid newspaper regarding the death of their father.  He always targets their mother in all these papers.  Therefore, there are following the Ombudsman for the press in Ireland.  They have also expressed their concern to the Irish Garda police.  Tom McGrath’s behaviour, mental state and motives should be thoroughly examined.  Mr. Michael’s McGrath family thinks he has a very guilty conscience for the way he treated their father all of his life.  Personally I think he needs to be called to order.

The strong offensive language and allegations that he labelled against me are unfounded and total untrue.  I feel sorry for him as the private detective is taking his money and providing him with wrong information which to him is factual.  Attached are documents illustrating that my wife  (Goreta Ogotseng) has crossed the South African Border many times since 2006 and she even came to Ireland 3 times through the South African Border invited by the University College Cork international student officer.  This information can be easily accessed from South African border movement control system which is computerized together with the evidence that the 3 of us (Michael McGrath, my wife and I) crossed the border in the Nissan Almera hired at the Euro international cars.  A copy of the Euro International receipt and regulations that state that you can’t take a car without a credit card as attached.  Therefore, allegations number 1,6 and 7 are void and should be discarded.  I hope this evidence will be of help in substantiating to the Medical Council that I did not commit perjury therefore obstructing the courts of justice.

 As documented in the coroner’s document; I have known Mr. Michael McGrath since 2002; I borrowed money from him on the 20th September which I reimbursed him.  He also leant me 700 euros at the end of November.  So I find it difficult in understanding the importance of this in this tragedy.  I wasn’t aware of his weekly income and did not even know him as a multi millionaire. I will not comment on the signatures of Michael’s brother and friends.  In trying to understand, come to terms and answer my own unanswered questions;  I decided to make an inquiry from Mr. Michael’s Family if indeed what he (Mr. Michael McGrath) mentioned when we were in Botswana just before the tragic event was true or had substance:- about his childhood life, medical background history, Credit Card, Gas and electricity bills and mortgages.  Plese find an attached email from Marie McGrath, Michael’s daughter giving me feedback.

I have worked hard for my medical degree, qualified with honours at University College Cork; do have good references from my immediate consultant supervisors in Limerick and Cork University Hospital whom I informed about the tragedy.  They will always be thought of warmly for the support they gave me.  I will continue to serve patients diligently;  with empathy and with best based medical evidence practice available.  The Medical Council should rest assured that I won’t jeopardise my hard work of achievement and I will always act in the best interest of the all the patients.
 Tours Sincerely
Dr. Shathani Mugoma

The National Rental Agreement document showed that Dr. Shathani used his credit Card to pay for 110 rand worth of fuel (that is about 10 euros worth) using his credit card.  No where and no one at National car rentals ever said that Dr. Shathani paid Michael McGrath’s car hire, which he swore he did at the coroner’s court. 
He also, under questioning from solicitor John Brooks said “he never borrowed money from Michael McGrath”, while under oath.
When the Medical Council posted the proof  which I had given them, he now freely admits borrowing money from Michael. So allegations number 1,6 and 7 cannot be so casually dismissed by Mugoma and the Medical Council if they are being objective in this investigation.  
The three documents from UCC inviting Gorata Ogotseng to come visit Shathani in Ireland are not proof that she was ever here, they are no more than invitations and are therefore irrelevant as evidence of anything.
The border crossing docket that Dr. Shathani refers to was provided by Interpol South Africa whose head at that time was Jackie Selebi; Selebi has since been sentenced to twelve years jail for bribery and corruption.  If you wish to take this document as evidence then I will buy you a collection of Hans Christian Anderson Fairy Tales.

  The most informative document that Shathani Mugoma provided was this email from his ‘close friend’, Marie McGrath. The bravado slogan on the top of the page says everything about these two.


KALANGA: “Leba BI, KU BUYA LA KA LOLWAMA “ FORWARD FOR EVER BACKWARD NEVER”
Shathani Mugoma
From: Marie McGrath<marie_mc_grath@hotmail.com
To: Mugoma Shathani<m_shathani@yahoo.co.uk
Sent:Tuesday, 15thApril, 2008
Subject: Re: Hello

Hello there
I am happy to answer you questions.

The personality disorder was diagnosed by 2 doctors (Elizabeth Lewis was one) in St Stephens hospital.  They never told us which exact personality type, but I am trying to access that report through freedom of information.  They told us that it was not something that would respond to medication and was more psychological.  They also said that it was likely to intensify as he got older and quite often people with personality disorders die in violent circumstances.  If I succeed in getting this report I will send you a copy.  My father also went to Mr. Brian Sweeney (neurologist) in 2000.  Once he had conducted the physical tests- he found nothing, he was referring my father to a neuropsychologist.  However my father choose not to attend this appointment.  I have the notes from his medical assessment with Mr. Sweeney, he discusses an increased memory loss and feeling “fuzzy” in the brain.

 For us at home, my father had changed a lot in the last few years before we left.  He was keen to maintain a normal appearance outside of our family.  He succeeded mostly with people like you, and his social friends.  However, he was not sleeping.  Quite often he didn’t go to bed until three in the morning and then would watch television in bed.  He was drinking more a well.  My father was very troubled.  He has spoken to us many times about being unhappy in his childhood, but he never told us everything.  His father was an alcoholic, but he didn’t talk about him often.  We knew in our house when my father’s mood was going down.  He would withdraw from everything.  Then a few days would pass hen he would erupt in anger.  It was very frightening for us.  The amount of anger that was in him was vast.

The night we left home, my father talked about killing us.  Over the weeks after we left he threatened to kill himself.  We spoke to police and doctors, but they said there was nothing they could do. There are large mortgages and bills on the properties. That is still the situation now.  However, even though there was separation of the marriage in process, my father could have arranged through the solicitors to sell some of the property to clear the mortgage. That was not the only problem in his life. I think also, he had told his brother Tom that he had a lot of money to impress him.  I think that Tom encouraged him to spend money.  He did not have enough money to afford that lifestyle.

There is one other issue,  which I did not discuss with you.  In the course of the separation, there was a psychological assessment of the family carried out.  This related to the custody of Lelia.  Each child was interviewed separately and asked about physical and sexual abuse. To the shock of all of us, Lelia described being sexually abused by my father.  She did not describe rape, but being inappropriately touched.  As a result of this a police investigation had to be carried out.  I sat and listened to many of the interviews with Lelia as her guardian.  From what she described I had no choice but to believe her.  She is not a child that is capable of making up stories or lying.

My father initiated the court case for custody of Lelia.  It was very expensive.  There were many lawyers and specialists involved- but he had a choice to end it.  We were happy for him to see Lelia.  We were not however happy for him to be alone with her.  We wanted always a supervisor present.  Michael my brother, was the supervisor for the access meetings.  That legal case could have been over in one day if my father would accept my brother supervising.  He fought for 2 years for unsupervised access.

 The distance between my family and my father could have been fixed in one day too.  My father had to admit something was wrong and tell us he would get help.  He knew that was what we wanted.  I had written to him several times to say that.  The doctors or psychologists could not help him further until he wanted help. My father’s family knew about the police investigation into Lelia’s abuse.  They also knew about our concerns for dad and they choose to ignore us.

It is important that you understand that you will never understand.  My father was not thinking normally anymore.  In our family he has become so angry all the time.  There was no reason for this at the time.  He had told me he would not be coming to my graduation.  There was no reason for this either.  He was fighting a battle, but it was with himself.

I don’t know where things went wrong for my father but I know it was a long time ago.  Probably in his childhood.  I sometimes wonder if he suffered some type of sexual abuse.

My father had a lot of conflict with my uncle Tom.  I think anybody who has conflict with my uncle Tom begins to doubt their sanity.  It is important to keep away from people who have so little caring.  You must complete whatever investigations are necessary and then close this chapter in your life.  It is in the past.  One life has been ruined.   That is enough now.  We may never understand my father completely or his actions.  The two doctors in St Stephens hospital told us that the root of his problem was too painful for him to access.  They predicted that he would lose us rather than deal with it.  We will never know everything.

All the love of my family to you and your family at this difficult time.
It brings me comfort every day that Lelia is safe and happy.
I hope you find direction out of this, towards something good and away from all this darkness and tragedy.
Marie

                   

It was just as well that I had not included the evidence from the Child Protection Agency, which proved that Lelia had never been abused by anybody or Marie McGrath would not have exposed herself as the one who coached Lelia to say “she had been touched by her father”. Why else would Marie have been present at many of the interviews with Lelia (as her guardian), if not to make sure she repeated what she had been coached to say. Her mother Margaret Lynch was/is no shrinking violet, who was incapable of attending the interviews with Lelia.

Another important item of information was disclosed by Dr. Shatani Mugoma in his reply to the IMC. 
    Quote: “It is indeed a burden not only for me but also for Mr. Michael McGrath’s family. I am receiving emails from the family stating that there are concerned for their safety”.  
This shows that these people have been in continuing contact with Shathani over a long period of time and appear to have a common interest in collaborating at all inquiries into my brother’s slaughter on the 12/13th December 2006.

From the familiar correspondence between Dr. Shathani Mugoma and Marie McGrath, they are obviously in regular contact and it would explain why Mugoma would want to distance himself from Margaret Lynch McGrath; as I suspected when I asked Ambassador Frank Sheridan to give it to me in writing back in 2006. 
 
18th March 2008:
Dear Tom,

        I confirm that today, 18/3/2008 at 12 noon I delivered to the offices of my solicitor, the entire Investigation Docket, which also contains the investigation DVD’s and my written Interim Report. Craig is engaging a trustworthy courier to deliver to you.  As soon as you have received the material please copy and distribute as you choose. I have completed an Interim Report and dossier and request that you distribute it as widely as you see fit. Every publication diminishes a little the risk to which I am exposed as the information goes into the public domain.  Let me know when you have received it and given out copies so that I can proceed – in slightly less danger and jeopardy- back to Botswana.
Jenny

2nd April 2008:
Dear Jenny,
       I met a neighbour of Michael’s today who informed me that Michael’s coffin was returned to his home at Knockagarry late on the night of the 9th January 2007. This was after the coffin had been placed in the church and the prayers for the dead were said.  On the following day 10th January, O’Brien’s hearse was seen leaving Michael’s home, preceded by a Garda car and heading in the direction of Mitchelstown.
It clearly wasn’t for the love of Michael that his coffin spent the second night at his home.  Because of the strange behaviour of his estranged family, I can no longer be sure that Michael was in the coffin we buried at Kilbehenny cemetery.

3rd April 2008:
Dear Tom,
  This is strange news indeed. Speak to your solicitor.  In South Africa a blood relative could apply for exhumation.
Jenny
P/S  Margaret (Lynch) McGrath’s conduct in granting the far reaching power of attorney to Shathani Mugoma – which the Botswana police let us read but not copy – is quite extraordinary.

24th April 2008, I received this letter from Dr. Michael Kennedy, Coroner North Cork:

Thank you for meeting me to discuss your concerns re inconsistencies between the evidence Dr. Shathani Mugoma and Goreta Ogotseng gave to the Inquest into the circumstances of the death of your brother, Michael McGrath and information obtained by your investigator, Jenny Wild.
In Irish law, as it presently stands, there is no facility under the Coroner’s Act, 1962, to hold an Inquest into the circumstances of a death where an Inquest has already been completed, unless there has been an error in applied law in the original Inquest, which can then be appealed to the High Court.  I do not believe this to be the case in this instance.

   So this closed off this avenue for re-opening the case.
 
      On the 7th May 2008, Michael Ahern told me he was hoping to arrange for me to meet The Minister for Justice and the Minister for Foreign Affairs in 10 days time.  So I emailed Jenny Wild to see what questions I should put to them.  I was still in a state of shock and was totally unsure that anything I was doing was right, since the scathing conversation I had with solicitor Mr John.

On the 8th May, I received a request from Jenny for a further 2,000.00 euros to facilitate another expedition to interview witnesses in Botswana.
I knew I had to find the money somewhere and fast.  I had nothing anywhere, I was desperate as I wanted to make sure my investigator could continue her Trojan work.  So I asked my mother if she would “help us get justice for Michael.”  

She said, “Poor Mike, it is awful, I will give you the money”. She went to her bank and she withdrew 2,500.00 euros and gave it to me. 
She said, “I am praying all the time for him, he has gone through so much, you must help him Tom.” It was half of all she had but she wanted to help her son in every way she could; with her constant prayers and her small saving. So, I transferred 2,100.00euros and there was also a bank charge of 31.50 euros and so another small miracle allowed the investigator to continue.

I faxed out Dr. Shathani’s reply to the IMC to Jenny Wild, so she could see that Mugoma was now trying to besmirch her good name. This tactic was used at the Coroner’s Court by Dr. Shathani in his sworn evidence; he insinuated that Michael had been abused by his father, he made remarks about me to insinuate that I was the cause of my brother’s ‘financial’ difficulties.  At the time of his remarks I knew that Michael had never spoken the lies which were spilling out of a well rehearsed spiel, which had its origins with Margaret Lynch McGrath.  Everything was pointing to collaboration between Mugoma and Margaret Lynch McGrath and her disturbed family.

On the 14th May 2008, I got this email from Jenny:

Dear Tom,
I have read Shathani’s reply and I assume that you have not furnished the Irish Medical Council with my report and dossier.
1.	The South African Immigration records give the lie to Goreta Ogotseng’s alleged movements in and out of South Africa ( See A24C in dossier)
2.	 The Affidavit of the National Fleet Manager of National Car Rental, South Africa, Russel McKay gives the lie to Shathani’s contentions about the vehicle hire (See A32 in dossier).

You should furnish my full report and dossier to the Medical Council.
Regards, Jenny.

On that same day I wrote this letter to the Irish Medical Council.

Dear Mr Sidebottom,
     My response to Dr. Shatani Mugoma’s observations and comments are that when confronted with the truth he is attempting to bluff his way out of trouble.
The document he presents you with detailing Goreta Ogotseng’s movements across the South African border is a fictitious work and is not a record from South African Border Control.  My investigator has given me a copy of the Border Control records, which she got from the South African authorities and which can be verified as correct for Goreta Ogotseng, Shathani Mugoma and my late brother Michael McGrath.  These records give exact time, date, border entry point and vehicle registration number.  The records I have are complete, up to date and exact.
The letters of invitation for Ms. Goreta Ogotseng are just that, - ‘letters of invitation’.  There is nothing with them to back up his assertion that she has ever been to Ireland.

His assertion that he is receiving emails from Michael’s estranged family, raises questions which will in time be answered by a proper police investigation.  His assertion that articles and photos were published in The Star on Sunday is correct but it is a lie that they were published in many other tabloid newspapers.  Michael’s estranged wife was never targeted or mentioned in any article.  If she feels by writing about Michael’s death and the questionable circumstances thereof, she is having the finger pointed at her; then it is entirely in her imagination and guilty conscience.

Dr. Shathani questions my behaviour and mental state.  I have concrete, verifiable proof that Mugoma is lying.  He tried to paint a picture of my brother Michael as mentally unstable, he is trying the same smear tactics with me.  The difference is I am alive and can answer back with an interim report from my investigator Jennifer Wild.  Jennifer Wild is a barrister and human rights activist who has done work for Amnesty International, Norwegian Aid for Peace, The Maurice Webb Foundation, NATAL and the South African government.  Her work is beyond reproach and she is highly acclaimed for her work by the South African Government.  To suggest that she is merely taking my money and providing wrong information shows how desperate he is to escape justice.   He is now trying the same smear tactics on Jennifer Wild and myself, that he so successfully applied to my murdered brother, Michael McGrath.

Dr. Shatani states that he borrowed money from my brother on the 20th September 2006 and again at the end of November 2006.  When questioned under oath, by my solicitor John Brooks at the Coroner’s Court on the 30th May 2007, Mugoma denied ever having received any money from my brother Michael McGrath.  Now he admits it when he sees the proof staring him in the face. Dr. Shathani Mugoma committed deliberate and wilful perjury, when he denied having ever received any money from the late Michael McGrath.

I do not know what he hoped to prove by enclosing the receipt from National Car Rentals for extras on Michael McGrath’s car hire.  This receipt is for fuel to the amount of 110.00 rand, about 8 euros.  What it does suggest is that Dr. Shathani Mugoma already knew that Michael McGrath was going to die in a matter of days and he wanted to get his name on the car hire document to give the impression that he (Mugoma) had paid Michael’s car hire and that Michael had all sorts of financial difficulties.

As for the email from Marie McGrath to Mugoma, I have instructed my solicitor to take immediate action against her for libel.
It is interesting to note that those who sought to profit from my brother’s death are still keeping in close contact with each other.
I am available to attend any inquiry and can present sworn affidavits, video evidence and official South African documents to verify that everything I am saying is the truth.
 I have nothing to gain from proving who murdered my brother Michael McGrath and who conspired to have him murdered; even if all the members of his family were found guilty, his youngest daughter Lelia is an innocent who would have to inherit, her fathers vast wealth.

    There is only one thing I seek and that is justice for my innocent brother, Michael McGrath and I am certain that I have accumulated enough evidence to bring those involved in his murder to justice.
   Yours sincerely,
             Tom McGrath

Each day that passed without any government body or any government minister, intervening to see that justice was done for my brother, became a greater burden for me.  I just could not understand why;  with all the evidence I had placed in the hands of the Gardai, the Irish Medical Council, the Minister for Justice and the Minister for Foreign Affairs, not one of them were prepared to do anything about it.

So on the 15th May 2008, I sent an open letter to the Minister for Justice:

Dear Minister,
             My brother Michael McGrath was murdered in Botswana on the 12/13th December 2006.  A post mortem on the 8th January and a Coroner’s Court on the 30th May 2007, were the results of the intervention of Michael McDowell, the then Minister for Justice.  Since then, despite several requests to the Minister for Justice, nothing has been done by the Minister or the Department of Justice, to see that JUSTICE was delivered for the awful murder of Michael McGrath. The pretend investigation by sergeant Paul Reidy of Mallow Garda station, can now nine months later be seen for what it is,- nothing but a whitewash for his corrupt colleagues.  The Minister for Justice requesting a report from the Mitchelstown/Fermoy Gardai is like asking the Donegal Gardai to investigate themselves.  Has the Minister any idea at all of how to conduct an inquiry to uncover the truth where Gardai are deliberately obstructing the course of justice.

Because the Gardai were deliberately obstructing the course of justice from the very beginning, I was forced to hire a private investigator to get the truth of my brother’s death.  The investigator I employed was Jennifer Wild, a barrister and human rights activist from South Africa.  She has been supported in previous work by Amnesty International, Norwegian Aid for Peace, The Maurice Webb Foundation, Natal Violence Monitor and JUST (Justice Under State Transformation.  She has also worked in Pretoria for the SA Ministry of Intelligence Services.  Her credentials are above reproach.
 Jennifer Wild’s investigations have proved that all the witnesses; Dr. Shathani Mugoma, Goreta Ogotseng, Superintendent Ngwato, Constable Michael Phiri, and Constable Leonard Kgosintwa all lied in their statements.

In mid September 2007, I rang the Department of Foreign Affairs and spoke with Garrett O’Brien.  I told him the Botswana Department of Health were not cooperating with the investigation into my brother’s death and that we would like the Department of Foreign Affairs, to request them to release the ‘Hospital Report’ from the hospital in Palapye about Michael McGrath.
 On Wednesday the 19th September 2007, a certain Mr. Feeney from the Irish Foreign Office rang Jennifer Wild at her home and informed her that ‘technically, Tom McGrath is not Michael’s next-of-kin and does not have the right to information about the death of Michael McGrath’.  This was the same Mr. Feeney, based in Mozambique, who assisted Margaret Lynch McGrath in giving full Power of Attorney to Shathani Mugoma. 
 Why did Mr. Feeney not wish to see the suspicious death of an Irish Citizen properly investigated?

I have given substantial amounts of factual information to Michael Ahern TD,  which he has passed on to the Minister for Justice, including a summary of Jennifer Wild’s Interim Report.  Michael Ahern is the TD for the constituency in which my late brother lived.   I am very grateful to him for his support and kindness.

I am very surprised, at the lack of interest in my brother’s murder by the Minister for Justice and the Minister for Foreign Affairs.
Why is the murder of Michael McGrath in Botswana of no interest or concern to Dermot Ahern, Minister for Justice?  
Why is the murder of Michael McGrath in Botswana of no interest or concern to Michael Martin, Minister for Foreign Affairs?
Because I have been met with silence and obstruction by the Departments of Justice and Foreign Affairs, I am now copying this letter to every newspaper editor in the country.

   Signed:  Tom McGrath

At every turn I was walking into brick walls of silence and obstruction.  I had spent my mother’s small savings on the case as well and I was still making no progress.  So I wrote to solicitor John on the 21st May 2008:

Dear Mr. John,

        I am writing to tell you that I am forced to give up the quest for justice for my brother Michael McGrath.  The costs have rocketed way beyond my means.  With the Ministers for Justice and Foreign Affairs ignoring every piece of evidence, regardless of how damning of Shatani Mugoma that I give them.  It just means that in Ireland there is no justice for anyone with very limited means.  The people who conspired to murder my brother were correct; in their assessment that they had all the angles covered including that I did not have the resources to complete an investigation against them. I reluctantly have to admit that they are about to get away with murder.  The two superintendents Horan and Cadogan, they have in their back pockets, have enough clout to ensure that no Government minister will have this murder properly investigated.  (You do not become a superintendent in this country without serious political contact).

         My brother Peter is not prepared to put up any money.  From the beginning he said “let God punish those who committed this evil”.  I now have no choice but to do likewise.  So send on your final bill and I will ensure that your bill is paid.
 Myself, I am going to gather what few belongings I have  and emigrate out of this corrupt country.  A state where the police are so utterly corrupt that they cover up for murder, is a failed state.  I cannot live amidst such low standards as are now acceptable to the majority of Irish people and especially the hallowed practitioners of the law.   I only have to look at the utter deceit of those who decided that Meg Walsh’s letter naming her killer wasn’t evidence.  This is not an isolated case.  Look  at Robert Holohan from Midleton, murdered with serious questions unanswered.  His killer destroyed evidence by partially burning the body and he doesn’t even get charged with murder!  Two years and he is free.  On top of that the eminent judge throws a hissy fit because the child’s mother has unanswered questions.  Take the Mulhall sisters in Dublin with a virtually similar case, except they murdered a violent black thug, yet they get charged with murder and get 14 years.  They had no money and they got no justice either.  Fat chance I have of getting those who murdered and who conspired to murder, my brother Michael McGrath to face justice!  I am sending you the response of Shatani to the medical council.  It makes interesting reading!  It is pointless asking the IMC to suspend Mugoma, they would just ignore J.Wild’s entire file.  Sometime in the future when Dr. Shatani Mugoma has been allowed the freedom to kill at will, someone will bring him to justice.  A lot of innocent people will die needlessly because of those who are now giving Shathani total protection.

    I thank Marion for her kindness to me at all times during these difficult months. Send me your bill.  I now give up this unequal fight.
Goodbye,
Tom McGrath

 I faxed a copy of my letter to Jenny Wild.  On 22nd May I got this reply:
Dear Tom,
Please don’t give up!!  Let me see what I can do here upon the remaining money… even if I put some of my own money with it. 
Best Wishes,
Jenny
  
        I replied to Jenny on the 23rd May that if she was prepared to put her own money against the case that I would have to find some way to battle on.
  
                                 She replied on the 24th May.
Dear Tom,
           That’s the spirit!  You know, when we were fighting for Justice during the Apartheid, there were many times that we just felt like giving up, when everyone seemed deaf and blind to what we were trying to draw attention to and when there was just no change… no movement.  It a bit like the Berlin Wall, as well… and then suddenly, almost overnight, the tide turns.  That is what one has to work and pray for.
Much love, Jenny

About this time my printer started to give trouble and I didn’t have the money to repair it or to buy a new one.  I was just going from day to day financially, emotionally and physically, hanging by a thread. 

 On the 18th May 2008, I decided as a last resort to write to Michael Martin, Minister for Foreign Affairs:


Dear Minister Martin,
       I am enclosing a summary of Jennifer Wilds Interim Report into the death of my brother Michael McGrath, in Palapye, Botswana on the 12/13th December 2006.  The report is 250 pages long plus 3 DVD’s with visual and oral evidence in support.
I enclose a photo of the bed A11(b) in which my brother was alleged to have spent ten hours. I also enclose photos A11(n) and (o) which shows the injuries my brother suffered prior to his murder.
I am asking you to request the Botswana authorities to re-open the investigation into my brother’s death, using the National Police rather than the ‘local’ police.
I have waited patiently for over a year for someone to move this terrible injustice and have a proper investigation.  
I have written to the Medical Council and will be supplying them with enough evidence to have Dr. Mugoma suspended.
I am also taking immediate legal action against Marie McGrath (Michael’s daughter) for libel. 
I intend to use every means at my disposal, to ensure that those who conspired to murder my brother, are brought to justice.

  Yours sincerely,
   Tom McGrath

When I showed Marie McGrath’s email in support of Dr. Shathani to a solicitor, with a view to taking legal action against her; he said, 
“This letter is very carefully crafted, she must have legal advice with it. She was very careful what she said about you but much more direct in what she said about Michael and your father.”
“Well, I said she would not have to go very far for it, her sister Brid has a degree in International Law from University College Cork.”
So again I hit another brick wall. It was obvious from the way this case had developed from the beginning that every detail was carefully planned.  There was legal knowledge as well as cunning behind every move. There was more than one individual, it looked like there must have been a murder planning committee!

Chapter 19 Holiday To Botswana

“A state where the police are so utterly corrupt that they cover up for murder, is a failed state.”

Thomas Mc Grath

                                   

On the 20th February at 18.30 I received a call from Sergeant Paul Reidy to inform me of  the progress of his investigation to date. “I have confirmed with the Botswana police through Interpol that Dr. Shathani is back in Botswana and he has agreed to be interviewed by the Irish Gardai,” he stated. 
“We are preparing to send a team of investigators to interview him in Botswana, I want you to know I am doing my very best to investigate the case; I had to interview everyone concerned. I had to hear every side of the story, I would not be doing my job correctly if I did not do a thorough and detailed investigation. Whatever you may think, I am doing my best in the investigation of the case." 
“I have two questions for you, number one do you have an address for Shathani?” I asked. 
“The Botswana police have his address,” replied sergeant Reidy. 
“The second question I have for you is why did it take you so long to get to this point, I gave you factual evidence of Shathani’s perjury at the beginning of October 2007,” I stated. 
“I had to follow procedures and investigate all sides of the case, I would not be doing my job if I did not collect all sides of the evidence, however unnecessary you might think that is,” he replied.
“Can you accept that?” he asked. 
“Until you produce results, as far as I am concerned you are as crooked as the rest of them,” I replied. 
“That is unfair as I am moving the case forward as fast as I can,” he replied. 
“I am waiting to see results and until then, for me nothing has changed,” I replied.

After finishing the call I immediately rang Jenny Wild and informed her of my conversation with sergeant Paul Reidy. She was not at home and I left a message for her to ring me back. Minutes later she rang back.
“Hello Tom, I received your message that the Irish police are coming to Botswana to interview Shatani.” 
“Yes, Sergeant Reidy has confirmed with the Botswana police that Shathani has agreed to be interviewed by the Irish Gardai and that they know his address,” I said. “Assistant superintendent Ngwato has lied to me, I knew he was lying to me about the investigation into Michael’s death but we got critical information from Ngwato when we were up there. We got photographs taken of the scene of your brother’s death and we also got photographs taken of the bed he was supposed to have been in prior to going into this toilet.  These photographs prove that Michael was never in the bed as suggested and secondly the photographs of the scene show no weapon with which he could have killed himself, we are certain we can prove that Michael was murdered”, said Jenny.  “I am in Durban and I am travelling to Rhodes University tomorrow to pick up the tape which has been prepared by Professor A, I will submit an interim report to you which has video as well as affidavit evidence. You should have it by the 29th February, is that ok with you?" she asked. 
“Thank you Jenny that is great,”  I replied. 
“Ask the Gardai if I can attend their interviews with Shathani, I would like to see number one if it is Shathani and two I would like to see what questions they put to him and what answers he will give?” asked Jenny. 
“I will see what I can find out,” I said. “I will get back to you when I have any further news.”
“OK, thank you Tom, you know I must tell you something very strange that happened two weeks ago. You know Laurence Pebble helped us when we were up in Botswana; well he has been shunned by certain people up there since then and his post is not being delivered, it’s as if they want to make out he doesn’t exist.  Well we finally got Michael’s shirt to him about a week ago and he took it to the Swikero and she has performed the ceremony to turn their deeds back onto all those involved in Michael’s murder, so maybe finally it is beginning to happen,” she said. 
“I hope you are right”, I said, "I would do anything to bring them to justice.” 
“Your persistence is paying off, justice maybe slow but it is coming.”
“I was discussing the case with George Mitchell today and he said it is all the better if he is back in Botswana where he can get the death penalty,” said Jenny. 
“Well if he gets convicted, I will come out to watch him hang,” I said, “I will not be happy until he is dangling at the end of a rope and I am certain he is dead. I will contact you when I have any more information Jenny, goodbye for now.” 
“OK Tom I will travel up with the Irish police, it might be the safest way to go, goodbye.” said Jenny.

I then rang Michael Ahern and told him of the days developments.
My friend Tommy O’Gorman arrived and we went to Corbett Court for our Irish Coffee.  Declan Corbett made it himself and he showed Cami, a young lady from Romania how to make the cocktail and she brought our drinks to us.  It was the perfect Irish Coffee with the cream ice cold sitting on top of a freshly ground coffee.  The temperature was just perfect, not too hot, not too cold and the Paddy whiskey just adds the correct bite to give it a little taste of heaven.  When I got home I updated my days diary.  Tonight I have two candles lighting for Michael, a red and a blue.  There has been a candle lighting day and night for my brother since the 16th December 2006, I will endeavour to keep his light alive until there is justice and his spirit is at peace. 

Chapter 20 Christine Holohan

                                    
On the 26th February, my nephew Tom and I travelled to Portlaoise to see Christine Holohan, the Psychic.  Christine was the psychic who helped solve the Jacqui Poole murder case. Our appointment was for 10.30am, Christine arrived shortly after 10.35 but for the first time in 18years she was unable to unlock the door.  We left without a consultation and she said she would ring with a new appointment when the locks were sorted. So on the 29th February2008, my birthday I returned at 11.30 for my new appointment. She had her tape-recorder working and recorded the meeting.
“I can see Michael in a very small room, like a shower unit, he is holding his neck and his eye he can’t see out of his left eye, he is holding his stomach like this.”
“His leg is under him, its very uncomfortable, he can’t stand.”  
“This doctor guy, he has two other men with him, one of them is white. Earlier they tried to make him sign something, there is an issue around his will, check out his will.  He was brought into the hospital by a back entrance, he wasn’t brought in the main entrance covered in blood. There is something about a farm, did your brother own a farm? there is something about selling the farm, they were trying to make him sign something. I can see someone in a green uniform; someone tried to intervene to save him and they told them to ‘get out, we are dealing with this, get out you are not needed here get out. Your brother is telling me six years from the time he met Shathani, something about six years, yes; six years RIP, this doctor has a very short lifespan, six years from here and he will be dead...”  
“You are going to hear that this doctor has been murdered or something, your brother is saying six years RIP. He has a very short lifespan.” 
“They have the death penalty in Botswana,” I said.  
“That is it so he is going to meet a painful end, I can see him in a prison, not like the prisons here with your plasma televisions more like, one two, three cockroaches... I see him writing furiously, pages after pages, writing , writing he is going to implicate five other people, he will definitely implicate your sister-in-law and another woman. The other woman is her sister or maybe her daughter. You will see justice, they are not going to get away with it... One of them was in South Africa two weeks before he went out there, they have a connection out there. Someone belong to him was there shortly before he went there... You know life can be strange, he was going to cancel the flight just before he went. Shatani was showing him papers about investing in property, in a hospital or apartments or something. He was encouraging him to invest money there... In four years I can see his ex-wife in the high court, one of them is going to be shot down with a serious illness. She is definitely going to face justice. Did you and your brother have a falling out some years ago? A 'cooling of your relationship', he said.” 
“He said it’s a bit late now but to tell you he is sorry, it was like sitting on a fence, if he went on your side she would erupt. But he said you were right all along and he said to say he is sorry.” 
I said, “that is all right, I knew he had no say in it and he did apologise to me one day when we were driving somewhere in 2006 and he apologised for not attending my wedding; he told me Margaret threatened to leave him if he went to my wedding.”
"I can see his ex wife in the high court, you are going to see answers, you will get justice... He may have lost his life in the most awful way, they are not going to enjoy the fruits of their labour. They are not, one of the group will be struck down with a terrible illness.  The day will come the hand of justice will reach them all, it may be slow but it will be swift when it comes. 
Your brother is here with me, he is telling me ‘you were right all along, you will get justice.  I have done a lot of travelling and I thought I was a very wise intelligent man but when you get a dangerous cunning woman, you’ll never be smart enough for them, she’s just cold calculating’”. 
“I think there was an affair there, either the mother and the doctor or the daughter and the doctor, there is something there. It’s like there are favours there. It’s like they would do whatever it took to get what they wanted. Unlimited access, she had money hidden, she had things hidden.  One time she faked a robbery or something, he tells me that never happened, she made that up. 
“I do know that she made up getting abusive anonymous letters which she passed on to the police, letters she definitely made up herself, I know she used this subterfuge as a way of getting rid of a neighbour who was friendly with Michael”, I replied.  She had things hidden, money hidden.
She was very well in, very tight with that guard , I also see a detective, a high ranking officer, not just a Garda.  But I see somebody has washed their hands of her at the moment, you’d like to know, if she is going down they are in trouble...”
“There is a police officer there somewhere, I am not saying he would be a hundred per cent helpful but he is not going to be obstructive to you. Because he is going to be in a place, he is going to be cornered, either he goes with you or he looks to her, if he goes with her he can kiss his promotion and his pension goodbye...”
“He is not going to do that for her, he is not going to do that, there is a lot of cunningness there. Life is a funny thing, there are two or three people there, I am not saying they are going to be on your Christmas list but they could be doing themselves a bigger favour by helping you. If it comes to going with you or hunting with her, they will side with you, they will be doing themselves a favour...”  
“She is not a very nice woman I tell you the truth she is the kind of woman that would stop at nothing, literally stop at nothing, she absolutely has no scruples. Your brother said ‘that in fact that she is the evilest woman that has ever lived on this earth, she is beyond imagination; he said be very careful she is a very powerful dangerous evil woman but I can see her getting her just deserts”.
“Has she a son?" asked Christine.
“She has two,” I replied. 
“One of them is going to be her match, the sons are not as involved are they?”
“The youngest son isn’t but the eldest one is just like herself,” I replied. 
“They seem to be not as involved. One of them is more like the father. He is not like her. The other one will hang her out to dry, he is only keeping an eye on his inheritance... He is with two people your father and your mother, are they both in the spirit world? There is another woman there she is a lovely woman, she is about fifty eight, who would she be, tall nice build very nice woman she is somehow connected to him. There is also a woman who is related to her(Margaret Lynch), a mother or a sister, there with him..."
I can hear her say :
"What on earth has she done, the consequences are going to be really very serious.”  That is what I get from someone closely related to her...
“Was she married twice? Because I am seeing two wedding rings on her finger, somewhere along the line she could be married before, there is a sense that there was another relationship, there is a question mark around an identity, who owns this child and who owns that child." 
“What was the involvement and relationship with her brother-in-law Michael O’Keeffe?” I asked.  
“I must ask him that now, he was paid to look the other way, whatever he seen, whatever he done, he was well paid for it; he was paid to look the other way. He was very well paid indeed for what he done.  There is something going to come out there, he is going to find himself in the middle of it.  There is a question about one of the children, is he the father?...At one time she had your brother watched, keep an eye on him”.
“You know like attracts like, this brother-in-law – she used him anyway, everyway humanely possible.” 
“You know the weird thing about it, it’s like a sinking ship, you see the rats running for cover, scurrying. I can guarantee you some thing , when things go bad they go really bad. He said there are at least five people who had major roles in his death, there are a few other people who had roles as well,- not as significant but definite roles but it’s all going to come out in the wash... Her brother-in-law there is something going to come out there, I wonder does he own one of those kids?. There is something going to come out there, there is going to be a big problem. I get a feeling that years ago she put up a child for adoption, there is an awful lot of stuff going to come out over the next couple of years, bit by bit, it will all come out., a bit and a bit more.” 
“He said you are on the right track and he is guiding you, he is worried about you.  When he got to the hospital was he still in his pyjamas? I feel he was not dressed properly, there was something that did not fit, he would not get into a car and drive without his proper clothes on, or maybe he had no shoes.” 
“Ask Michael is my investigator safe travelling up there from South Africa to Botswana in the next few weeks?” I asked.  
“She has got to go heavily disguised and she has got to have contacts at all time have someone with her, go as a tourist but be vary wary, be very, very wary.”
“This guy is going to be fighting for his life, he is going to leave nothing to chance. You know the funny thing about it he will get arrested for something minor down the line and that will open the gate. Did they not take DNA and things like that off him?” asked Christine.  
“No, what they did was, Margaret Lynch got a solicitor to draw up ‘Deed of Attorney’ giving absolute power to Dr. Shathani to do anything he liked with Michael’s body and affairs. The wording was the most extreme Jenny Wild had ever seen in all her years as an attorney,” I replied. 
“There is definitely something going to come out there, she was definitely behind his murder, she planned the whole thing out and he was greedy for money, he got very well paid...
I wonder was he married before, I can see money going out from him, constantly going out from him. Your brother is saying you were right all along, you were one hundred per cent right all along; because it is so tricky, he is trying to help you but it will take time to get things moving for you but it will happen sooner than you think. He is telling me he was trying to make a phone call and he sees someone going in around the back of him, he had started dialling numbers, I feel pressure on my hand, did he smoke?” 
“No”, I replied. 
“I can smell smoke all around him, like someone present was a very heavy smoker”, said Christine.
“Two weeks before he went out there she had threatened him, he is telling me something about a double deal. Something about a mobile phone” said Christine. 
“I have Michael’s mobile phone, it has a message from Shathani looking for money with his bank account details and all on it,” I said.
“That’s it so, you must be very careful of that phone, make sure you do not loose that phone whatever you do.” 
“Nobody will take that phone from me, anyone who wants to take it will have to take my hand,” I said. 
“That won’t be much good to you, if they knew you had that phone, they would do anything to get it.” 
“I have given the details of the phone to a number of police and to my solicitor , a number of people have the exact messages that are on it and it remains on the o2 server for up to a year after the phone goes dead,” I replied.
“You are ok so, keep it alive. He said to thank you for your dedication and thank you for what you have done for him he is very, very grateful but he said he worries about you too and it has been difficult for you and he said you must trust it is going to take a bit of time, all will not be revealed overnight, it is going to come together bit by bit, all will be revealed... The hands of justice are slow but definite, I see you talking to a priest, he is a nice man actually, he is giving you a little bit of advice – not a lot just words of advice...  Your brother said it doesn’t really matter now, he said I can feel it here that I will get my day of justice, it can’t happen overnight because of the amount of people involved. But you know the weird thing about this, when all the cards fall down, when they do, there is going to be a good few people in trouble. I mean people in professional positions not just your small people...” 
“There is something else, the tax man, there is property that has not been declared, had he property in Spain, Portugal or London. There is something else going to come out about property. The name Dolores, the name Dolores is going to come up. Is there another brother apart from yourself?” asked Christine.
“Yes, I have another brother, Peter,” I said.
“Yes, he’s joking that he is the brainy one.”
“Who, Peter?” I asked.  
“One of you used to do the homework, the maths and the Irish for the other two, in return for the chores,” said Christine!
“I had totally forgotten about that, that was me, I used to do the homework for my brothers and they used to draw in the water from the well in Jack Clifford’s field, we had no running water,  bring in the firewood, do the chores while I did the school work. He is reminding me of something that happened when I was between eight and ten years old, I had totally forgotten,” I said.

The information about the home work astounded me because I had completely forgotten about it. It was just a children’s game that happened half a century ago. I had not remembered it once in the intervening years. My brother, Michael was the only person who could have known and remembered. I went home happy knowing that we would get justice and I had proof that Michael was communicating with me through Christine.

Chapter 21 The Law

                                   
This is a repetition of my reply to Mr. John about ‘The Law’.  It might very well be ‘The Law’ but it certainly isn’t Justice.  When it comes to ‘important or connected’ people ‘The Law’ can be interpreted to make sure they escape justice. People with enough money never get convicted at all of anything. Referring to Dr. Shathani Mugoma; be that a family in Ireland, in Europe or a black family in Botswana or anywhere in the world.  That the IMC should take the action they have is morally indefensible. If all the people who involved themselves in Margaret Lynch’s machivellian stunts before and after Michael’s death are not brought to account for their deeds, I will insist on a sworn judicial inquiry into everything that has happened from the time Margaret Lynch left my brother’s home in 2004 until now- involving gardai, solicitors, the family, Michael O’Keeffe and his sons John and Noel. I find it beyond belief that since December 2006, that as soon as I ask difficult questions of anybody in authority, they hide behind the all embracing deceit of, ‘it’s The Law’.

Dear Tom,
An interim report- without interviewing the Doctor who admitted Michael to Palapye Hospital (which I deem essential) will be available on the 15th March2008.
A final report – after interviewing the Doctor and deploying agents to find the assassin/s- will be ready on 31st March2008.  The latter activities are what require me to return to Botswana – Brian is now able to accompany me.

The final report will be compelling to the authorities in Ireland and Botswana – because it will leave no loose ends- except those where authorities in Botswana did not do their job in the first place.
Regards,
 Jenny

The report finally arrived via Interlink at 12.30pm on Wednesday the 26th March 2008.  It was a substantial report of 259 pages plus 3 DVDs most of the material related to two days, the 29th and 30th July 2007.

      In early June 2008, I consulted another solicitor I had met two decades earlier. I gave him the Interim report from Jenny Wild as a result of which he sent letters to the Irish Minister for Justice and Minster for Foreign Affairs as well as to shadow minister Alan Shatter T.D.
This resulted in this response from Charlie Flanagan T.D:

Deputy Alan Shatter recently referred correspondence from you in regard to Thomas McGrath, Co. Tipperary.
 
As the Dail is not in session I am currently not in a position to raise this matter in the Chamber: however, I will do so when the Dail resumes.
In the meantime I have written to the Minister about the Matter and I hope you receive a favourable response.
 Yours sincerely,
Charlie Flanagan T.D.
c.c Tom Hayes T.D.

Chapter 22 The Interim Report

                                       
The report ;-
                 Summary pages + some evidence from all 260 pages as supplied by Jennifer Wild
Plus the 3 DVD’s
Disc – 1 --- Palapye, Botswana

1.	Main Road
2.	Town Centre
3.	Palapye Police Station
4.	Palapye Primary Hospital
5.	General Dealer/ Funeral Parlour
6.	Dwellings and Inhabitants

Disc – 2 ----Palapye, Botswana

1.	Appeal for witnesses: St.Anthony Catholic Church
2.	Railway Station
3.	Debriefing of Patrick Mayo
4.	Witnesses

  Disc – 3 ---Palapye,Mokoro,Radisele & Mahalapye, Botswana.

1.	Reconnaissance Palapye Primary Hospital
2.	National Highway: Palapye to Mahalapye
3.	Mokoro
4.	Radisele
5.	Mahalapye
6.	National Highway: Mahalapye to Palapye
7.	Prison Van

Interim Report on the Investigation concerning the Circumstances Surrounding 
                                   The Death of Michael McGrath

1.	Prologue                                                                                         

1.1	     On the 6th December 2006 Michael McGrath,  a 52 year old citizen of the Republic of Ireland travelled to South Africa ostensibly to attend the wedding of a friend, Shatani Mugoma of Botswana.  Between the 12th December 2006 and the 13th December 2006 he met his death in Botswana.  An inquest into his death was held in Ireland in the Court House of Mallow, County Cork, the Republic of Ireland on the 30th May 2007.

1.2	The legal representatives, who acted for the estranged wife of Michael McGrath, Margaret McGrath, urged the Inquest to find that Michael McGrath had committed suicide in Botswana.  This was a conclusion that the blood relatives of Michael McGrath were not prepared to accept.  As a consequence, I received instructions through Attorney White of Durban to conduct an investigation into the circumstances leading up to, and the death of Michael McGrath in Botswana.  I was assisted in this investigation by George Mitchell, Brian Cutler, a team of African Investigators and to a very limited extent by the police and Health authorities in Botswana.


2.	Methodology of the Investigation                                                                                      
2.1 With respect to the circumstances leading up to the death of Michael McGrath, the previous so-called investigation in Botswana was based primarily upon the statements given by four witnesses;                                                                                                                                   
2.1.1  Shatani Mugoma                                                                                                                                      
2.1.2  Goreta Ogotseng                                                                                                                                    
2.1.3  Michael Phiri                                                                                                                                            
2.1.4  Leonard Kgosintwa

3.	In the case of Shatani Mugoma he provided two statements:                                      
3.1.1 The first statement was made to the Botswana Police on the 12th December 2006 at 20h45                                                                                                                                                                 3.1.2   The second statement of Shatani Mugoma was made to the Irish Police, the Garda on the 23rd March 2007, in Ireland.                                                                                                                    3.2  As a result of the Inquest findings being premised, in many respects, upon the statements made by Shatani Mugoma, these were used as a starting point in the investigating the death of Michael McGrath.  The contents of the statements were tested by seeking objective and impartial support from witnesses and by inspection and observation of localities and scenarios described theirin.                                                                                                          

4.    Matters surrounding arrival of Michael McGarth in South Africa, his Journey to and Arrival in Botswana.


4.1      The Inquest Finding from the Coroner’s District of North Cork in this regard stated:                                  
“On the 6th December 2006, Michael McGrath….. travelled to South Africa with the intention of travelling to the wedding of Dr Shatani Mugoma in Botswana.  Shatani Mugoma travelled to Johannesburg and was met at the airport by Michael McGrath on the 9th December 2006.  A car was hired at the airport and Dr.Shatani, his fiancé, Goreta Ogotseng and Michael McGrath travelled together arriving in Gabarone Botswana at 09h00pm.                                                                                                                                                              4.2         The statement of Shatani Mugoma in this regard, made to the Garda states:                                               
 “Michael left on the 6th /12/06 and I left on the 8th from Dublin.  I had no contact with Michael until I arrived in Johannesburg on the Saturday morning.  When I arrived Michael was already there at the airport waiting for me.  He was in great form and very happy.  Michael and I waited at the airport until my wife arrived.  After having travelled by bus at 12h00 and there was a mix up with the rental cars at the airport resulting in using my visa Card to hire Michael’s car, Michael, my wife and I left in Nikssan Almera hired from Euro International Cars.  I think Michael was driving at that point.  We left Johannesburg around 01h00pm or so and spent eight hours to reach Gabarone.  We stopped a few times so Michael could see a lot of the animals.  We arrived in Gabarone, Botswana at around 09h00pm.”                                                                                                                                                             4.2       The primary components of this account given by Mugoma were subjected to scrutiny.  Empiric evidence was gathered which is inconsistent with his statements.                                                        
4.3        The issues upon which the evidence acquired casts doubt upon the statements of Shatani Mugoma are the following:                                                                                                                     4.3.1        The contention that there was a “mix up” with the rental cars which resulted in Shatani Mugoma using his Visa Card to hire the car used by Michael McGrath and that the vehicle was hired from Euro International Cars.                                                                                               
4.3.2        The statements that Mugoma, Ogotseng and Michael McGrath travelled together into Botswana from Johannesburg International Airport.                                                                                   4.3.4         On the 31st August 2007 an Affidavit or Sworn Statement was acquired from Russell McKay, an adult South African male, Identity Number: 69022450… and the fleet manager of National Car Rental South Africa.                                                                                                                    4.5            The Affadavit appears in the accompanying Docket as Statement A32.                                                    
4.6             In his Affidavit Mr McKay deposes to the following facts:                                                                       
4.6.1         That he is the National Fleet Manager of the CMH Car Hire (Proprietary Limited) which trades as National Car Rental of South Africa.           

4.6.2	On the 9th December 2006, Irish national, Michael McGrath, hired a blue Nissan Almera vehicle, Registration Letters and Numbers: TMJ 615 GP, from the depot of National Car Rental at O.R.Tambo International Airport, Johannesburg, South Africa.  He removed the vehicle from the depot at approximately 14h00 hours.
4.6.3	Michael McGrath had paid in advance in full for the hire of the motor vehicle and was possessed of a prepaid voucher issued by an Auto Europe entitling him to the use of a hired economy classed motor vehicle from National Car Rental from the 6th December 2006 until 19th December 2006.
4.6.4	When he attended the depot on the 9th December 2006 Michael McGrath was serviced by service assistant Jay.   There was no problem with Mr. McGrath’s hire of the vehicle.  Mr. McGrath was accompanied by Shatani Mugoma whose passport was photographed and placed on record as a local reference for Mr.McGrath whose passport was also photocopied and placed on record in our files.  Mr.Mugoma did not hire the vehicle and the only authorised designated driver of the vehicle hired by Mr.McGrath was Mr. McGrath himself.  Mr. Mugoma tendered his credit card to cover ‘extras’ on the car hired by Mr.McGrath  which amounted to R74.59 (seventy-four rand and fifty nine cents) which is approximately eight euros. Mr Mugoma did not hire the Nissan Almera Vehicle it was hired by Mr.McGrath and Mr.McGrath paid for the hire of the motor vehicle from Ireland in advance.
4.6.5	The Nissan Almera motor vehicle hired by Mr.McGrath was returned to a Pretoria depot on the 19th December 2006. The first time that National Car Rental  or McKay heard that Mr.McGrath had died in Botswana on the 13th December 2006 was when their office was approached in July 2007 by investigator George Mitchell and Advocate Jennifer Wild who are appointed with Powers of Attorney by Mr.McGrath’s family to investigate his death.  The car rental documents supporting the account given by Mr.McKay appear in the Investigation Docket as A25 (a),(b),(c),(d),(e),(f), (g),(h),(i) and (j).

4.7.	Based upon the Sworn Statement acquired from Mr.McKay the following components of Shatani Mugoma’a statement are inconsistent with the objective impartial information acquired and appear to be untrue:
4.7.1.	The contention that Mugoma hired the vehicle;
4.7.2.	The statement that there was a mix-up or problem with rental cars
4.7.3.	The statement that Mugoma used his visa card to hire Michael McGrath’s car
4.7.4.	The vehicle was hired from ‘Euro International Cars’
4.7.5.	The vehicle left O.R.Tambo Airport at 1.00pm: it left at 14h00                                              

4.8.           Accordingly on these collateral matters concerning the circumstances of the acquisition of the hired vehicle, the statement of Shatani Mugoma is demonstrably untrue in five fundamental respects.

4.9	A further matter arising from this issue is that the only person entitled to drive that vehicle was Michael McGrath himself.  This aspect acquires significance when the circumstances are considered, of what will be termed the ‘alleged road traffic accident’, which occurred on the road in Botswana between Palapye and Mahalapye on the 12th December 2006.

5.            Whether Mugoma, Ogotseng and McGrath travelled together from the airport in Johannesburg, in the Republic of South Africa into Botswana, arriving in Gaborone on the 9th December 2006.
5.1.	A primary finding of the inquest held in Mallow district of North Cork was:                            “A car was hired at the airport and Dr Shatani, his fiancé Goreta Ogotseng and Michael McGrath travelled together  arriving in Gaborone, Botswana at 09h00pm.
5.2.	With respect to this aspect the statement given by Shatani Mugoma to the Irish Garda was explicit:                                                                                                                “Michael and I waited at the airport until my wife arrived. After having travelled by bus at 08h00 pm there was a mix-up with the rental cars                                      ….. I think Michael was driving at that point.  We left Johannesburg around 01h00 pm  or so and spent eight hours to reach Gaborone.  We stopped a few times so Michael could see a lot of the animals.  We arrived in Gaborone, Botswana at 09h00 pm”.
5.3.	The first matter of significance is whether Gorata Ogotseng was present in the Republic of South Africa at all upon that day and whether she entered into Botswana in the company of Michael McGrath and Shatani Mugoma in the Nissan Almera rented vehicle.
5.3.1	The border controls between South Africa and Botswana at the Kopfontein Border Post are strictly administered and are the subject of scrupulously maintained written/computerised records.   These records disclose that Kopfontein Border Post was that used by Mugoma and McGrath on the 9th December 2006.  They did not cross the border together nor did they cross in the same vehicle and Gorata Ogotseng did not cross the border at all on the 9th December 2006.
5.3.2	South African Border Posts are stringently controlled.  It was not possible, owing to the regulations, with respect therto to obtain photographic material or to videotape the border crossing.  The use of cameras and video material at border crossings in the Republic of South Africa is not permitted.
5.3.3	It is important to point out however that a rigid procedure pertains at the border crossing between South Africa and Botswana in Kopfontein.  A traveller approaching the Botswana border from the South African side is required to leave the motor vehicle in which he or she is travelling and register at the South African Border Post office where the passport of the traveller is stamped to record that they have left the republic of South Africa and the details of the traveller are captured upon the Official computer.  The time at which this occurs is recorded and in addition the method used by the person travelling (i.e. on foot, by bus, or in a vehicle) is recorded.  In addition to having to register these particulars in the Border Control Office, which requires a traveller to leave a vehicle in which he is travelling and register, there is the border post itself where the particulars on the documentation which has already been completed are again double checked before the traveller is permitted to enter Botswana.  On the Botswana side, once again a traveller is required to report at an office where Custom’s Officials stamp a passport as recording entry into Botswana.  There is a Vehicle Tax which is payable on all vehicles entering the Republic of Botswana and there are stringent border checks with regard to the vehicles in which travellers are being conveyed as a result of attempts to remove stolen vehicles from the Republic of South Africa into neighbouring countries.  It is for this reason that recording the details of a vehicle in which a person travels is a significant component of crossing a border from the Republic of South Africa into Botswana.
5.3.4	The traveller record system maintained by the South African immigration authorities is sophisticated and computerised.

5.4	With respect to Gorata Ogotseng, the alleged companion of Mugoma and McGrath crossing the border into Botswana on the 9th December 2006, the South African Immigration Records disclose that, on the day in question, 9th December 2006, she did not cross the South African border with Mugoma and McGrath into Botswana or at all.   
5.5	The only occasion upon which Gorata Ogotseng crossed a border between South Africa and Botswana, according to the South African Immigration Records, included in the docket as A24:C was in 1995.  Accordinly based upon the particulars and name that have been furnished in this matter to identify the person who claims to have crossed the border with Mugoma and McGrath, namely Gorata Ogotseng, the records disclose that she did not cross the border on the 9th December 2006 with McGrath and Mugoma.
5.6	More importantly the records of the South African Immigration Authorities demonstrate that Mugoma and McGrath did not cross into Botswana together.  They were in separate vehicles.
5.7	Whilst it appears that both travelled into Botswana on the 9th December 2006, the South African Immigration Records disclose that Shatani Mugoma was travelling in a vehicle bearing the registration letters and numbers: B730 AJG,  The records disclose that Mugoma crossed from South Africa into Botswana on the 9th December at about 19h44.  It was not the first time  that Mugoma had crossed the border between Botswana and South Africa in the vehicle that he used upon that night.  The Immigration Records disclose that Mugoma crossed from Botswana into South Africa in vehicle B730 AJG on the 10th June 2006.
5.8	A true copy of Immigration records pertaining to Shatani Mugoma in and out of South Africa appear at A24:D1,D2 and E of the Investigation Docket.
5.9	The movement of Shatani Mugoma from South Africa into Botswana on the 9th December 2006 and his mode of transport, vehicle B730 AJG, are captured upon Immigration Records appearing in the Investigation Docket at A24:E.
5.10	In other words what the records disclose is that Mugoma had crossed from Botswana into South Africa in vehicle B730 AJG on the 10th June 2006 and that he had returned to Botswana using the same vehicle on the 9th December 2006.
5.11	According to the South African Immigration Records, captured contemporaneously upon their computer, Michael McGrath entered into Botswana in the motor vehicle bearing the registration letters and numbers: TMJ 615 GP (which coinsides with the National Car Rental Hire vehicle particulars) on the 9th December 2006 at 19h00.  A copy of the South African Immigration records pertaining to Michael McGrath appears in the Investigation Docket at A24: A and B.  The Immigration Records of his Kopfontein border crossing on the 9th December 2006 appear at A24B.
5.12	This information of Immigration records does not pertain only to persons but also constitutes a precise capture of the mode of transportation/vehicle used by the person conserned.
5.13	From the foregoing, and read in conjunction with the car rental documents which appear at A25 of the docket, the following facts can be objectively established:
5.13.1	Michael McGrath removed a hired vehicle, TMJ 615 GP from National Car Hire, as the only licensed and entitled driver thereof at 14h00 on the 9th December 2006.
5.13.2	Gorata Ogotseng was not present when McGrath hired his vehicle nor was her presence recalled by the persons at National Car Rental.
5.13.3	According to the South African Immigration Records, Ogotseng was not present and nor did she enter Botswana with either Mugoma and McGrath on the 9th December;
5.13.4	The statement that McGrath travelled with Mugoma is not true in that, when Mugoma crossed the border from South Africa into Botswana he was travelling in a different vehicle from McGrath.  Mugoma’s vehicle bore the registration letters and numbers: B730 AJG.  The letter was a vehicle that Mugoma had taken out of Botswana on the 10th June 2006.  Vehicle B 730 AJG is owned by the owner of the large bus company in South Africa, whose name is Tlhaselo Seabelo.

6.	The South African Border Records are verified by CCV Camera Footage and as stated above do not involve one, but two checks.  One at the office where the computer details were recorded and the second at the actual border crossing itself where details are verified.

7.	What emerges from the facts independently established is that Michael McGrath was in the vehicle which he had hired from National Car Rental and Shatani Mugoma was in a vehicle which Mugoma had previously taken into the Republic of South Africa and which vehicle Mugoma was returning to Botswana.  The Immigration Records in this regard are explicit.

8.	I wish to deal briefly with the statements which were furnished on the 12th December 2006 by Mugoma and Ogotseng to the Botswana police authorities. These statements will be dealt with in greater detail in other respects below.   The contents pertinent to this section relate to who entered Botswana on the 9th December 2006 and with whom.

9.	In his statement Mugoma states: “Whilst staying at his place we became friends on the 9th December 2006 I came to Botswana and he came with me” and in her statement furnished to the police upon the same day Gorata Ogotseng pledged under oath: “On the 9th December 2006 I arrived in Botswana with my husband, Shatani and his friend Michael McGrath of Ireland.  Shatani and McGrath were both from Ireland and I picked them at Johannesburg”.

10.	What is clear from the South African Immigration Records is that Gorata Ogotseng was not present and did not travel with Mugoma and McGrath into Botswana.  McGrath and Shatani did not travel into Botswana together and travelled in separate vehicles.  Accordingly the account given by Mugoma and Ogotseng on the 12th December 2006 in this regard is false and the inquest finding premised theron is incorrect.

11.	I need to mention at this stage, a matter which will receive attention in more detail below concerning Inspector Ngwato.  Inspector Ngwato was the investigating Officer appointed to investigate the death of Michael McGrath.  Inspector Ngwato is stationed at Palapye and heads the Detective Section at the Palapye Police Station.  Before travelling to Botswana, George Mitchell and I acquired the border records of the Republic of South Africa with respect to the entry and the exit through the border by Shatani Mugoma and Michael McGrath.  We also had in our possession the records of Gorata Ogotseng.  A summary of all movements of Shatani Mugoma in and out of South Africa has been included in the investigation docket as A33.  Inspector Ngwato confirmed verbally to me in an interview held on Tuesday 1st August 2007, that Gorata Ogotseng had not left the republic of Botswana in order to be with Mugoma and McGrath.  When informed of the border records he was not surprised that Gorata Ogotseng had not been present in Johannesburg or at the border, as it had been his understanding that she had not entered into South Africa in order to meet Mugoma and McGrath at the airport.  The information acquired from Ngeato will be dealt with at a later stage, however it is relevant to this particular portion of the circumstances leading up to McGrath’s death and is accordingly inserted at this point as collateral confirmation that the Botswana authorities knew that Gorata Ogotseng had not entered Botswana with McGrath and Mugoma.  Accordingly their statements furnished to the Palapye Police on the 12th December 2006 were not only false with respect to their entry into Botswana on the 9th December 2006 but were known to be false.
12.	   From the South African Border Records it would appear that the accounts given by Ogotseng and Mugoma on the 12th December 2006 and the subsequent  account of the travelling arrangements to Botswana given by Mugoma on the 12th March 2007 are FALSE.

13.	Gabarone

13.1	The statement of Shatani Mugoma states:  “We arrived in Gaborone, Botswana at about 09h00pm.  We arranged for Michael to book into the Metcourt Hotel in Gaborone.  We then went to Hogan’s Pub, the Irish Pub with Michael he had drinks there and was in great form.  We stayed there until 12h00pm.  My wife drove and we dropped Michael at the hotel.  My wife and I went home again to sleep”.
13.2	The records of the Metcourt Hotel in Gaborone were checked.  There was no record of Michael McGrath staying in Gaborone or booking into the Metcourt Hotel after 09h00pm on the 9th December 2006.  An employee of the Metcourt, called ‘Pinkie’ checked their records and stated that Michael McGrath did not stay there on the 9th December 2006.  There was no explanation offered in the statements of Mugoma and Ogotseng as to why McGrath was not driving the vehicle he had hired in Johannesburg and why Gorara Ogotseng drove the vehicle.  It is not clear why Michael McGrath was dropped and picked up as their statements contend.  We were unable to elicit any independent confirmation of the statements made by Mugoma set out above and are only able to challenge them on the basis that Michael McGrath was not booked into the Metcourt Hotel in Gaborone  for the night of the 9th December 2006.

14.	The days between the 9th December and the 12th December 2006.

14.1	In his statement furnished to the Botswana police on the 12th December 2006 Shatani Mugoma states:  “He came here to attend my wedding ceremony which will be held on the 16th and 18th day in December in Serowe and Moroka respectively.  On the 9th day we spent our night in Gaborone.  On the 10th day we proceeded to Serowe because on the 11th day I was supposed to be at the District Commissioner.  We finished with the District Commissioner in Serowe and went to Moroka thereafter, we then slept in Moroka and today the 12th December 2006 at about 11h00 we left Moroka to Gaborone.
14.2	In her statement furnished to the Botswana Police Gorata Ogotseng states:  “Michael came here after being invited for a wedding by Shatani. We spent a night in Gaborone and proceeded to Serowe the following day where we also spent a night, the following day we left for Moroka.  Today the 12th/12/2006 we left Moroka for Gaborone”.
14.3	In the account given to the Irish Garda on the 23rd March 2007 Mugoma states: “I left on the 8th from Dublin.  I had no contact with Michael until I arrived in Johannesburg on the Saturday morning.  Sunday we collected Michael at the Metcourt and travelled to Serowe to my wife’s village.  That night we booked into a lodge and stayed there.  On Monday the 11th we got up and my wife and I left Serowe with Michael who was driving.  Michael went to the Barcley’s Bank to change some money.  The drive was 479 kilometers from Moroka.  We stopped at Francistown to do some shopping. We left there and got to Moroka at 10h00pm., it was dark and there was no electricity.  We met with my mother we booked into the lodge in my home town. On Tuesday morning the 12th/12 we got up and Michael wanted to meet my mother and family then again in daylight so we did he was very happy.  At 11h00 am we left for Francistown.  Michael, my wife and me.  My wife was driving”.
14.4	Of the foregoing accounts we are only able to confirm that Michael McGrath exchanged three hundred and fifty euro in Serowe on the 11th December 2006.  In this regard we refer to a copy furnished to the writer of a foreign exchange transaction undertaken by Michael McGrath on the 11th December 2006 in Serowe, which is filed in the investigation docket as A27B.
14.5	With respect to the allegations that Michael McGrath, Shatani Mugoma and Gorata Ogotseng stayed at a lodge in Serowe on the 10th December 2006, we visited all lodges in Serowe and none reflected in their admissions register a stay by Mugoma, Ogotseng, or McGrath over the period of the 9th to the 12th December 2006.
14.6	With respect to the allegation that Michael McGrath spent the last night of his life on the 11/12th December 2006 at a Lodge in Moroka, I refer to the Affidavit of Investigator Captain George Mitchell which is A30 in the investigation bundle and which was deposed to on the 30th July 2007;
14.7	George Mitchell states:

14.7.1	“After Francistown, Prebble and I travelled North-East from Francistown to Moroka which is the home area of Mugoma and which is reconnoitred on Saturday 28th and 29th July 2007 by the team of African Tswana speaking field agents deployed there under the leadership of Patrick Moyo.”
14.7.2	“We visited the two lodges in Moroka to ascertain where and in what state of mind Michael McGrath had spent the last night of his life on the 11th/12th December 2006.  There are two lodges in Moroka;  the first is the Stopover Lodge and the second the Chitwaya Lodge.  Both lodges are on the side of the road first is before Moroka and the second after Moroka on route to the border and both lodges are remote.  These ate the only lodges that serve the <oroka area.  At the Stopover Lodge we interviewed Chidzanikolaca, a Botswanian citizen in charge of reception.  I showed her the photographs of Michael McGrath and she immediately recognised him she stated that he had arrived the lodge on December 2006 to enquire about the nature and cost of the accommodation at the lodge.  He had been laughing, joking and appeared very happy when he had done so.  He was shown the rates and accommodation by her but had elected not to stay at the lodge and she suggested that we make enquiries at the other lodge as Michael McGrath had not stayed at the Stopover Lodge”.
14.7.3	“Prebble and I checked the secretary attendance register and confirmed that Michael McGrath had not stayed there.  The cost of a single accommodation was pula 176 per night”.
14.7.4	“We then proceeded to the Chitwaya Lodge which is 5 kilometres past the turn off to Moroka and between the turn off to the Zimbabwe Border Post. There we interviewed a Botswana national who was in attendance at the reception area she was shown the photographs of Michael McGrath but did not recognise him, after inspecting the secretary attendance register we confirmed that Michael McGrath did not stay there in December 2006 and particularly had not stayed there on the 10th,11th or 12th December 2006.”

14.7.8	“Accordingly the written statement of Shatani Mugoma furnished to the  Gardai in Ireland that Michael McGrath spent the night of the 11th/12th December 2006 at a lodge in Moroka is therefore false.  We satisfied ourselves that there are only two lodges in Moroka as indicated by a field agent and that Michael McGrath had stayed at neither, although he had visited one to enquire about the accommodation.”


14.7.9	From the aforementioned evidence, it is apparent that the statement of Shatani Mugoma in which he claims that Michael McGrath stayed at a lodge with him and his wife in Serowe on the 10th/11th December 2006 and that Michael McGrath spent the last night of his life on the 11th/12th December 2006 at a lodge in Moroka is false.

15.	The Last Day of the Life of Michael McGrath

15.1	According to the statement furnished by Shatani Mugoma he arrived with Michael McGrath and Gorata Ogotseng in Moroka on the 11th December 2006 at 10h00pm.  He claims: “ We booked into our lodge in my home town.”  This has been shown above to be untrue.  With respect to the remainder of the statement Mugoma claims: “On Tuesday morning the 12th December 2006, we got up and Michael wanted to meet my mother and family again in the daylight so we did.  At 11h00 am we left for Francistown, Michael, my wife and me.  My wife was driving.  We got there at 12h00 and ate lunch.  After lunch Michael asked to drive and he did.  We were supposed to go on to Francistown airport to collect our car for the wedding”.
15.2	The aspects emphasised above require closer scrutiny.
15.3	Attention is drawn to the fact that once again Gorata Ogotseng was driving the hired car in contravention of the contract in terms of which it was hired to Michael McGrath.  Only Michael McGrath was lawfully entitled to drive the vehicle.  It is never explained why Gorata Ogotseng was driving the hired vehicle and why she was allegedly doing so when the alleged road traffic accident occurred.  In this regard, the question that arises is why Michael McGrath had to ask to drive the vehicle, which it was his right and duty to drive.
15.4	The aspect of investigation which arises from this portion of the statement  concerns the allegation that Shatani Mugoma was supposed to go to the Francistown Airport to collect ‘our car for the wedding’.  We accordingly investigated whether Mugoma had indeed hired a vehicle for his wedding at Francistown Airport.

15.5	I refer to the Affidavit furnished by Investigator George Mitchell concerning the investigations undertaken on the 30th July 2007 in Francistown (A30 in the Investigation Docket):
15.5.1	“Prebble and I then proceeded to the Francistown Airport.  The purpose of this visit was two fold;
(a)	to ascertain from the car rental/hire firms whether Shatani Mugoma hired a vehicle for his wedding as referred to in his statement bwhich he made to the Irish Police;
(b)	to enquire the cost of a connecting flight between Francistown and Gabarone in order to establish whether, upon the version of Mugoma, McGrath was possessed of sufficient funds to purchase an air ticket in Francistown  and flown to Gaborone or Johannesburg to immediately return to Ireland as he requested.  This forms part of the enquiry on McGrath’s ability to have immediately left Botswana as he allegedly wished to do on 12th December 2006 immediately prior to his death.”

15.5.2	“We attended upon the offices of Avis car Hire in Francistown Airport and there spoke to the attendant, one Isaac, who indicated that, after perusing his records, that both Prebble and I inspected, Shatani Mugoma had neither commissioned nor rented a vehicle during the month of December 2006.  There is only one other car rental company at the airport, this being Budget Car rental.  There we spoke to the attendant, one Philip, who also confirmed that no bookings or rentals had been made by Mugoma in December 2006.  There was a further car rental firm called Imperial at Francistown Airport.  Our enquiries there established that it ceased business in approximately October 2006 and so we made no further enquiries there.”

15.6	The statement by Mugoma that he was supposed to collect a vehicle from Francistown Airport for his wedding is accordingly false in the context of the investigation into that contention set out above.

16.	Whether Michael McGrath had sufficient Funds. 

(a)	to remain comfortably in Botswana from the 12th to 19th December 2006;
(b)	to return to Ireland on the 12th December 2006 as Mugoma claimed in his statement to the Gardai that McGrath had expressed a desire to do.

16.1	We have independently verified through Barclays Bank Serowe that on the 11th December 2006, Michael McGrath exchanged Euro 360 and received 2,782 Pula.  In Mugoma’s Statement to the Gardai he recounts that Michael McGrath  stated on the 12th December 2006 that he possessed Euro 300, R300 and Pula 700 (A13; Page 3)
16.2	 From the statement of Mugoma made on the 20th December 2006, however, it is stated that when the belongings of the then deceased Michael McGrath were handed to Mugoma on the 20th December 2006 they included cash of the following denominations:  Pula 2057.05, R327 and Euro 372.
16.3	The cast of comfortable single accommodation in Serowe and Moroka was ascertained to range between Pula 125 and Pula 190 per day including breakfast and dinner.
16.4	  Michael McGrath, using the Pula in his possession only, could therefore have stayed quite comfortably in Serowe and Moroka in order to attend the wedding, which according to Mugoma was to take place in the former on 16th December 2006 and in the latter on 18th December 2006.
16.5	 In his statement to the Garda, Mugoma states that Michael McGrath had expressed a desire upon 12th December 2006 to return immediately to Ireland and had been informed by Mugoma and Ogotseng that this was ‘impossible’. 
16.6	In his affidavit George Mitchell states:
   “I would like to point out that the airport in Francistown is only 3 kilometres from the centre of Francistown and is easily accessible by any form of vehicular transport even walking as a last resort.  We attended upon the office of Air Botswana in Francistown airport.  I established there that there were daily flights between Francistown and Gaborone except on a Saturday.  I point out that the 12th December 2006 was a Tuesday.  The price of an air ticket , Pula 842.   Of these flights to Gaborone three per week connected to Johannesburg, South Africa.  The total price of the ticket was  Pula 1773.”
16.7	Accordingly Michael McGrath had the means available to return to Ireland and the facilities existed for him to do so.

17.	The inability to locate any witnesses to the alleged road traffic incident on the 12th December 2006.
17.1.	A team of highly skilled Tswana speaking black investigators and intelligence operatives, from the Republic of South Africa, with extensive experience of Botswana, were recruited and deployed into the areas of Moroka, Palapye, Radisele and Serowe to retrieve information with respect to the last days of Michael McGrath’s life.  They were deployed under the control and leadership of Patrick Moyo, a very experienced intelligence and security operative.
17.2.	George Mitchell and I attended upon the National Road which runs from Francistown to Gaborone.  We compiled video footage of the entire road area, from Mahalapye to Palapye (D.V.D.3) , Moroka and Radisele (D.V.D.3),  where Mugoms and Ogotseng allege that McGrath tried to jump from the moving vehicle.  Our observations are recorded on DVD disc 3.  Upon DVD 2  is recorded our debriefing of Patrick Moyo whose written statement is contained in the investigation docket as A29 Annexure ‘A’.
17.3.	   The place where the allged road traffic incident occurred is described in the statements of Ogotseng and Mugoma thus:

“At about 15h00 we left Francistown for Gaberone, I was driving whilst Shatani was on the passenger seat on the front and Michael was on the rear left seat.  Just after Moroka but before Radisele Michael opened the car and jumped out of the moving vehicle travelling at 120 km per hour.”                                Gorata Ogotseng: 12th December 2006, 20h44

“Later on we left Palapye to continue with the journey. Gorata was the one who was driving and I was sitting by her side.  Mr Michael was on the passenger seat.  We travelling at 60 km per hour and whilst on the way past Madiaela lends, Michael opened the door of the vehicle and threw himself out of the car.”                                                                                                                 Shathani Mugoma 23rd March 2007  

17.4.	As is demonstrated in DVD 3 “ thirty minutes” drive from Palapye is the town of Mahalapye.  From Moroka to Radisele, houses and huts are literally on the side of the National Road.  Nothwithstanding the close proximity of homes to the place where it is alleged that Michael McGrath jumped from the vehicle, neither the Tswana speaking team of Black Investigators nor Gearge Mitchell and I were able to locate a single witness to the alleged incident.  People questioned had no knowledge of it whatsoever. 
17.5.	I also draw attention to the dramatic discrepancies in the above portions of the statements concerning the alleged speed of the vehicle at the time of the alleged incident.
17.6.	George Mitchell and I attempted to reconstruct a scenario of opening a front and rear passenger door in order to alight at various speeds, on the Highway in question, at the place where Michael is alleged to have done so.  At speeds above 75 kilometres per hour, excessive force and exertion was required to open the doors and then not wide enough to get out.  At 120 kph it was almost impossible to open the doors at all.
17.7.	I further draw attention to the accumulated body of research material, in the area of the Investigation docket numbered ‘D’, that shows the incidence of suicide by jumping from a moving vehicle to be almost non-existant.  Jumping from a moving vehicle in the overwhelming majorit of cases globally is a phenomenon associated with escape. 

18.	The Intervention of Prison Officials 

18.1.	Despite diligent enquiry by the team of Tswana Investigators led by Patrick Moyo and all enquiries by George Mitchell and I directed both to the Prison Authorities and members of the prison services, we were unable to identify or locate the persons who had allegedly transported Michael McGrath from the road outside Palapye,.
18.2.	We were not assisted by the Palapye Police who had kept no records identifying such persons nor had the police attempted at any stage to identify or take statements from them.

19.	Why McGrath was taken to a police station after the alleged road traffic incident and the absence of records.

19.1.	It cannot be ascertained why Michael McGrath, in an injured state, was allegedly taken to the Palapye Police Station and not taken to hospital from the road.  In this regard, we have been unable to ascertain why Michael McGrath was taken to Palapye Primary Hospital when the alleged road incident, according to the statements of Mugoma and Ogotseng, closer to Mahalapye, which has a much larger and well equipped hospital.
19.2.	We were able to ascertain from witnesses interviewed by the Tswana speaking investigators in Moroka, that Shathani Mugoma had worked as a nurse at Palapye Primary Hospital. 
19.3.	We believe that it is important to point out that, other than the statements written by Shatani Mugoma and Goreta Ogotseng made at the Palapye Police Station at 20h45 on the 12th December 2006, no other statements, reports or notes were made by any person in attendance at the Palapye Police Station, which record McGrath being brought there or establishing any basis for a Police Guard being posted to allegedly guard him at Palapye Primary Hospital.    There is no material in the statements furnished by Mugoma and Ogotseng to the Palapye police that establish any objective basis for a state of mind consistent with attempted suicide save for the alleged act of attempting to leave the vehicle.  We furthermore point out that the sworn statements made by Ogotseng and Mugoma on the 12th December 2006 were allegedly deposed to at the same time (20h45) before the same person, which is a physical impossibility.

20.	The alleged Incident witnessed by Mugoma in the Prison Van.

20.1.	Significantly, the statement made by Mugoma contemporaneous with the road incident on the 12th December 2006 and approximately one hour after the incident makes no mention whatsoever of the alleged suicide attempt made by Michael McGrath in the Prison Van which he later recounts on 23rd March 2007 in a statement made to the Garda in Ireland.
20.2.	This incident is described thus by Mugoma:

Then a prison car came, which is a van owned by the prison.  They said they’d help out and take him to the hospital.  The prison guards opened the door but they would not touch him because of the blood, so I helped him into the back.  He agreed to go in the van.  He was locked in the back.  We drove behind him.  I could see Michael banging his head off the side of the van at one point he took his belt and put it around his neck and try to hang himself.  The prison officers stopped the van and banged on the door. Michael just sat down then and they drove him.”

20.3.	Investigator George Mitchell and I tested the veracity of this account.
20.4.	We were refused permission by the Botswana Prison authorities to video a prison van.  
20.5.	We rode behind a prison van in bright daylight and satisfied ourselves that it was not possible to see any activity inside whatsoever. 
20.6.	We then followed a prison van in the dark on the main road between Mahalapye and Palapye, as Mugoma claimed that he did upon the night in question.
20.7.	We are satisfied that it is not possible to see into a prison van in these circumstances. We are satisfied beyond a shadow of doubt that the account given by Mugoma and set out above is completely untrue and a fabrication. 

21.	Preliminary observations which cast doubt upon the scenario of Michael McGrath’s suicide at Palapye Hospital.

(1)	The Hospital Bed                                                                                                                 
Detective Sergeant John Nyeku deposed to a sworn statement on 9th January 2007 and styles himself ‘a scenes of crime officer’.  (His statement appears in the Investigation docket as A9 and A9(a).  Recounting his role on the 13th December 2006 at Palapye Primary Hospital he states:                                                                                                                        “On my arrival at the scene I observed that Michael McGrath was lying dead in a pool of blood in the toilet.  I observed that the deceased Michael McGrath had a fresh cut wound on the right side of the neck.  I took photographs of the scene and conveyed the corpse to the hospital mortuary”.                                                                                                         George Mitchell and I, acquired a number of photographs taken by Nyeku at the crime scene of Michael McGrath’s death and ancillary areas deemed relevant.  Photographs of his body in the toilet and the bed allegedly occupied by and ward into which Michael McGrath was admitted in the Palapye Primary Hospital.  The photographs retrieved are however of great significance as they were taken contemporaneously with Michael McGrath’s death and are alleged to portray the undisturbed crime scene as it was first encountered after Michael McGrath met his death.  In this regard we draw attention to the bed of Michael McGrath shown on A11 (b) of the Investigation docket.  The bed is pristine and has not been occupied; most certainly not occupied by Michael McGrath with the injuries with which he was allegedly admitted involving emission of blood from lacerations and abrasions on his head and limbs.
(2)	Michael McGrath’s Injuries                                                                                       
An injury observed at the first post mortem upon Michael McGrath, which has received scant attention and yet, casts doubt upon the statements of local policemen Phiri and Kgosintwa that Michael McGrath went to the toilet by walking there himself, is the open dislocated fracture of the left ankle which is an injury precluding mobility and unassisted ambulation.
(3)	The condition of windows at the site of the alleged suicide in the toilet (DVD 3)                                                                                                                 On Sunday 27th August 2007 Investigator George Mitchell and I carried out an unaccompanied reconnaissance at Palapye Primary Hospital. The object of the exercise was to assess the nature and extent of the windows of the toilets in order to test the proposition that Michael McGrath used a broken window with which to cut his own throat.  We videotaped the windows of the toilet areas and demonstrate that none of the toilet windows had been replaced for years.  There had accordingly been no renovation of toilet windows that we were able to discover which would have left either a broken window or shards of glass available to Michael McGrath as an instrument with which to commit suicide.   Furthermore it is highly improbable that responsible health staff in any hospital would have left such objects lying in either a ward or toilet.
(4)	The absence of an Instrument of  suicide (A11- e,f,g,and h)                                      
The photographs of the allegedly undisturbed scene of crime in the toilet where Michael McGrath met his death and retrieved by us are very significant.   Michael McGrath is lying with his right hand (which it is assumed, being right-handed he would have used to cut his throat had he done so ) behind his head.                                                      
There is no evidence whatsoever in the toilet of the instrument with which it is contended he cut his throat nor was any such instrument either observed or recovered.                                                        
This is an Interim Report furnished in this matter.  Further investigation into the death of Michael McGrath continues and documentary evidence received in November 2007 and February 2008 is still in the process of analysis with the assistance of expert witnesses.  

In Summary however the following has been established:                                                                    
1. The statements by Ogotseng and Mugoma are untrue in all material respects, capable of objective corroboration;

2. No instrument or object with which Michael McGrath could have cut his throat was recovered at the scene where he was found dead and the contention that he had walked there of his own volition, upon an open fracture of the ankle is improbable.  
3. The bed in the hospital allocated to him was unused.

4.	No witnesses to support the, albeit mutually contradictory, accounts of Mugoma and Ogotseng with respect to the alleged incident upon the road on 12th December 2006 could be found.


             Second Interim Report into the circumstances surrounding the Death of 
Michael McGrath in Botswana 12/13th December 2006.

1.	Methodology of the Investigation Forming the basis of the Second Interim Report.

On the 4th October 2008, Investigator George Mitchell and I returned to Botswana.  We did so because we had received information that a certain Dr. Kasongo, whom we had been attempting to interview since November 2007, had been located outside of Maun in the Okavango Delta.

During our first investigation in Botswana in July/August 2007, I had sought to recover the hospital records of Michael McGrath relating to his treatment at Palapye Primary Hospital immediately prior to his death.  These records were not part of the docket compiled by the Botswana Police.

At Palapye Primary Hospital, in July 2007, the senior matron, in response to my request to see the hospital records, had called Inspector Ngwato, the investigating officer into Michael McGrath’s death.

In joint consultation, the Senior Matron and Inspector Ngwato denied me access to Michael McGrath’s hospital records.  They firstly invoked doctor/patient confidentiality/privilege in refusing me access to the records and then referred me to the Ministry for Health in Gaborone.

On 30th July 2007, George Mitchell and I travelled to Gaborone and received an audience with Dr. M.O. Mmalane, the Director of Clinical Services, Botswana.

Dr. Mmalane told us that he required the permission of the Attorney General of Botswana before he could release the records and further that our request for the records should be reduced to writing. Although there is some apparent difficulty, in Ireland, concerning the rights of blood relatives of deceased – as opposed to a surviving, albeit it estranged, spouse – to information concerning their late relative, this difficulty does not arise in South Africa or Botswana.

After a delay of almost four months, on the 11th November 2007, the writer received a letter – from Dr. Mmalane enclosing hospital records and a document called B.P.73 which is a ‘Report on Examination in a case of  Alleged Assault or Other Crime “ completed by a certain Dr. Kasongo at the request of the Botswana Police and carried out at Palapye Primary Hospital at 19h50 on the 12th December 2006.

The manner in which the medical reports and records had been obtained was extremely formal and required the intervention of the Ministry of Health in Botswana in order to secure the medical reports.

Furthermore in the medical notes of Dr. Kasongo that we had retrieved, together with his B.P.73 report, it transpired that Dr. Kasongo had also been the Medical Practitioner who had been required to certify the death of Michael McGrath in the toilet at Palapye Hospital on the 13th December 2006.
In certifying death Dr. Kasongo had recorded that Michael McGrath had committed suicide.

It was accordingly of the utmost importance that Dr.Kasongo be located and interviewed in order to ascertain how he had come to the conclusions that were set out in his medical notes and report and to what extent the conclusions were based on clinical observation.
It transpired, however that after our first investigation in Botswana, potential witnesses from Palapye and in particular Dr. Kasongo were transferred and/or relocated by the Ministry of Health out of Palapye.
It took us nine months to locate Dr. Kasongo because people contacted in Palapye and other centres were either unwilling or unable to assist us. 
We could not ascertain the reason for the relocation of senior medical staff from Palapye.
            
On Thursday the 2nd October 2008, acting upon leads and information, I telephoned the Lesela Thebe Hospital, outside Maun in the remote Okavango area of Botswana. After informing Dr. Kasongo that I was taping our telephone conversation, the tape has been retained;  I made arrangements to see Dr. Kasongo at the Lesela Thebe 111 Hospital on Monday the 6th October 2008.  He insisted that we obtain the permission of the Chief Medical Officer of the Hospital, before we would be entitled to interview him.  George Mitchell and I drove 2000 kms to Maun and located the Lesela Thebe 111 Hospital on the 5th October 2008.
We reported at the Hospital at 7.30am on Monday the 6th October 2008.  We were referred to the office of the Chief Medical Officer and we acquired his permission to interview Dr. Kasongo, who arrived at 9.00am
George Mitchell, Dr. Kasongo and I remained present throughout the entire interview which was tape-recorded and has been safely retained.

This report focuses upon the analysing the hospital/medical records, medical reports and doctor’s notes about Michael McGrath that we received from the Ministry of Health in Botswana and presenting and evaluating the evidence we received from Dr. Kasongo. 
 
2.	The Medical/Hospital Records Retrieved from the Ministry of Health. 

Amongst the documents received from Dr. Mmalane was a document called a B.P73 which is a ‘Report on Examination in a case of Alleged Assault or Other Crime’ completed by Dr. Kasongo at the request of the Botswana Police and in respect of a medical examination Dr. Kasongo carried out upon Michael McGrath at Palapye Primary Hospital at 19h50 on the 12th December 2006.

I have emphasised the words Alleged Assault or Other Crime, because for a doctor to undertake that examination and complete that report form, a potential Criminal Case must exist and relate to an Assault or Other Crime.
What was the ‘alleged assault or other crime’ in this matter?
It could not have been Michael’s alleged attempted suicide as fabricated by Mugoma and Ogotseng, because attempting suicide is NOT a crime in Botswana.

The examination of a victim and completion of the B.P.73 by a medical practitioner at the insistance of the police are, therefore in themselves highly significant events in the context of our investigation, as these procedures are only carried out or followed in respect of the VICTIM of an alleged assault or other crime.
They are not utilised in the case of road traffic accidents.

The injuries of Michael McGrath reflected in the B.P. 73 are confined to:
‘Bruises and Abrasions: Abrasions on nose, right shoulder, right elbow and hand, left arm elbow and hand; 
Wounds: Deep and wide scalp laceration on right frontal area and right parietal zone with active bleeding and laceration left elbow
Any other injuries:’
These written words are supported by insertions on the diagram of the front and back of the human figure on Form A.
With respect to ‘State of the person as regards physical powers and general state of health’ the following words are inserted:
‘General Condition:  Fully conscious communicating well’.
Under the category, ‘Remarks’ the following words are inserted:
Head Injury (Scalp laceration) arising from RTA (Road Traffic Accident)
Soft tissue injury arising from RTA.
Attempted suicide.

Conspicuously absent from the B.P.73 report are the following injuries found at the post-mortem performed on Michael McGrath in Botswana:

‘Graze abrasions on the posterior torso 10 x 14cm area,
Open dislocation fracture of the left ankle,
Bilateral below knee abrasive wounds,
Occiput had another laceration 4 x 3cm.’

The Admission Form.
 It is stated under “Results/Comments” that Michael McGrath was admitted To Palapye Hospital on the 12th December 2006 for:
“head injury brought about by a (RTA) Road Traffic Accident following attempted suicide then committed suicide while admitted”.
These words are written in different handwriting from the remainder of the form. 
The Admission Form is written in the same handwriting as the completed B.P.73 form, ie Dr. Kasongo.

The inference one might draw from these remarks is that they were derived from medical/clinical observation and an initial medical history obtained from Michael McGrath.  After interviewing Dr. Kasongo, this inference is wrong and unjustified and this comment written by him was based entirely on hearsay information supplied to him by Shathani Mugoma and the Botswana Police. 
Un-supplemented by the information derived from the face-to-face interview with Dr.Kasongo, the Admission Form summary is misleading and factually incorrect.

The Interview with Dr.Kasongo

Our interview with Dr.Kasongo was tape recorded and he was aware of this from the inception of its use as it was openly displayed in his presence.
    I began by handing the B.P.73 Form to Dr. Kasongo and I asked him to confirm that he had completed the form and that his signature was his.
Dr Kasongo replied that “he had completed the form and signed it”. 
Dr. Kasongo  was ‘on-call’ on the night of the 12th December 2006 and had received a telephone call from the hospital that required him to come in.
When he arrived at the hospital, he had found Michael McGrath, alive and not seriously injured, members of the Palapye Police Force and people whom he described as “Companions of McGrath” who were all present at the hospital.
What is particularly significant is that Dr. Kasongo recalls that the “Companions of McGrath” were more than two people i.e. more people than simply Mugoma and Ogotseng. Dr. Kasongo recalls about four to five people whom he refers to as “Companions of Michael McGrath”.

With respect to the ‘medical history’ of McGrath’s alleged attempted suicide by  jumping from a vehicle, Dr. Kasongo unequivocally told  Investigator George Mitchell and I that this information had not been derived from Michael McGrath himself, nor from anything McGrath said , nor from any clinical assessment of  McGrath’s injuries.
The story that McGrath had jumped from a vehicle, to kill himself had been provided to him, ‘entirely by the companions of McGrath – one of whom claimed to be a doctor’. We believe that it is not unreasonable to infer that this ‘doctor’ to whom Kasongo refers, is Shathani Mugoma; whilst ‘the Police’ told him about the suicide the following morning.

Upon his own admission, Dr. Kasongo based his opinion and comments about ‘suicide’ entirely upon hearsay – the story given to him by ‘McGrath’s  companions’ was the basis of his remark of ‘attempted suicide’ and the story given to him only by the Police informed his view of  ‘suicide’.
Dr.Kasongo  states that the information about the alleged road incident was supplied to him only by ‘the Companions of McGrath’ and that their say-so was the only foundation for the comment ‘attempted suicide’ reflected as his last remark in the B.P.73 Form.
Dr.Kasongo relied solely on what he had been told by ‘McGrath’s Companions’ and ‘the Police’.

Having regard to the fact that McGrath was allegedly ‘fully conscious and communicating well’, it is surprising that Dr.Kasongo did not ask McGrath in private how he had sustained the injuries and that he permitted the Police and ‘McGrath’s Companions’ to be present during his examination and treatment of Michael McGrath. In cases of traumatic injury and violence, it is normal for a treating medical practitioner to examine and interview the patient privately and obtain an account of what transpired from the victim.  Dr. Kasongo confirmed that injuries suffered by McGrath were not fatal and further confirmed that he satured the wound on McGrath’s forehead. He then left the hospital.
When Dr. Kasongo was shown the photographs in the photographic exhibits demonstrating that the bed at the hospital allocated to McGrath appeared absolutely pristine and not used at all, Dr. Kasongo said “that he could not comment on that”.

Dr. Kasongo was asked, “why having been admitted to hospital, when Michael McGrath was found dead in the toilet he was wearing a shirt and denim jeans and socks on his feet, which is not the conventional attire for an admitted patient with abrasive injuries?”  He was unable to explain why Michael McGrath was fully attired in civilian clothes and not wearing a hospital gown or sleeping attire?

Dr. Kasongo was accordingly unable to shed any light whatsoever on two of the very significant and very sinister features with respect to Michael McGrath’s alleged admission to hospital namely:
1.	that McGrath’s hospital bed ; according to the photograph taken immediately after his death by the Police Photographer, had not been used – particularly by someone with injuries such as those treated by Dr. Kasongo.
2.	 that Michael McGrath was found dead attired as one expect somebody in the street, namely dressed in a shirt, denim jeans and socks and not the garments of a patient admitted to hospital.

I then showed Dr. Kasongo his private notes on Michael McGrath.
He stated that these notes had been constructed after his treatment of McGrath and his certification of McGrath’s death respectively.  He had made these notes, he stated “in order to be able to complete the B.P.73 Form which the Police had required  him to complete with respect to Michael McGrath”.  He was not able to offer any explanation as to why he had been required to complete a B.P.73 in the case of Michael McGrath and his injuries.
With respect to the information concerning his certification of death contained in his notes, Dr. Kasongo confirmed that he had arrived at the scene where the body of Michael McGrath was in the toilet at Palapye Primary Hospital. He had been called by the Police to certify that Michael McGrath was dead. He did so and attributed Michael McGrath’s death to the throat wound.
It is most significant that Dr. Kasongo confirms that “he saw no weapon/instrument of suicide whatsoever present at the scene”. 
Dr. Kasongo said that in this regard “one should refer to the police who had been there before me”.  As far as he was concerned the scene had been undisturbed and no suicide weapon/instrument was present.
Dr. Kasongo wrote in his notes that Michael McGrath had committed suicide by cutting his throat because “that was what the Police told me”.

A further issue raised with Dr. Kasongo is “why Michael McGrath was discovered in the first post-mortem to have suffered an open dislocated fracture of the ankle, bilateral below knee abrasive wounds, torso abrasions and an occipital skull wound, which he had not mentioned in his B.P.73 Form and notes?”
   Dr. Kasongo could not recall such injuries being present at the time he treated Michael McGrath on admission and says “that the injuries which Michael McGrath had at that time were the injuries which are set out in the B.P.73 Form.
The information given by Dr. Kasongo has been very useful in clarifying that all mention of attempted suicide/alleged suicide in his comments either, in the case of Michael McGrath’s admission to hospital or his cerification of his death, in the case of the former, derived from ‘McGrath’s Companions’ and in the case of the latter, from the ‘Palapye Police’.

It is not certain who called Dr. Kasongo on the 12th December 2006, but he recollects clearly the presence of the Police as well as ‘McGrath’s Companions’. He does not know and cannot explain why the police were there or why Michael McGrath would have been under guard or in custody.
Dr. Kasongo cannot explain why he has required to complete a B.P.73 Form if Michael McGrath was not the victim of a crime.
Nor could he explain why a patient admitted into a ward at hospital with grazes and abrasions was, fully clothed and left the bed pristine and completely unused.
Furthermore, why did Dr. Kasongo not see the major injuries to Michael McGrath’s ankle, torso abrasions, bilateral below knee abrasions and an open occupital skull wound, which were found to exist in the post-mortem? Plus a black-eye injury clearly visible in the Police photograph of the dead Michael McGrath?
Dr. Kasongo was clear that no weapon of suicide was seen by him or recovered from the scene in the toilet where he certified Michael McGrath dead.

                Important Issues Arising out of Dr. Kasongo’s Interview.

1. There was no history of attempted suicide given to Dr.Kasongo by Michael McGrath himself nor any explanation offered as to how the injuries, with which he was seen on admission into Palapye Hospital occurred, save that given by ‘McGrath’s Companions’. The history ‘attempted suicide’ which appears so clearly on the medical report came entirely from ‘Michael McGrath’s Companions’ and is thus hearsay and unsupported by an account of his injuries from the mouth of Michael McGrath himself.                                                                                                                                           2. Michael McGrath had ‘more than two Companions’(five) present at the Palapye Hospital.  This is particularly relevant as it is suggested throughout the docket compiled by the Botswana Police that he had only two Companions with him, namely Mugoma and Ogotseng.                                                                                                                               3. No explanation whatsoever could be offered by Dr. Kasongo to why Michael McGrath’s bed in the hospital was pristine and unused and why he was wearing street clothes when he was found dead in the toilet.                                                                                              
 4. No explanation could be offered by Dr. Kasongo as to how or why Michael McGrath had sustained:
‘Graze abrasions on the posterior torso 10 x 14cm area’,                                                                             
‘Open dislocated fracture of left ankle’,                                                                                                        
‘Bilateral below knee abrasive wounds’,                                                                                                       
‘Head wound – Occiput laceration 4 x 3cm’,                                                                                                 
‘Black – eye injury’;                                                                                                                                    
which are injuries documented in the post-motem, yet which injuries were not noted on admission by Dr. Kasongo.
5.	Dr. Kasongo confirmed that no suicide weapon/instrument of any form was recovered in the toilet in his presence or to his knowledge.

We know of no lawful reason why Palapye Police were entitled to take Michael McGrath into custody or place him under guard. If Michael McGrath was in Botswana Police custody and died under guard – he died in Police detention.  This should be of concern to the Irish Government. There were no lawful grounds upon which the police were entitled to detain him. 
No attempt was made by the Police whatsoever to question any of the people at Mokoro Village or Radisele where the incident with the car was alleged, by Mugoma and Ogotseng, to have occurred.
No record of the ‘Prison Officials’ who were alleged by Mugoma and Ogotseng to have transported Michael McGrath to Palapye Hospital exist.
No suicide weapon was recovered by the Police at the scene where Michael McGrath was found dead and yet they advised Dr. Kasongo to certify, as a doctor formally attending the scene of death, and to report that Michael McGrath’s death had resulted from suicide using a shard of broken glass to cut his throat.
The Palapye Police can offer no explanation as to how Michael McGrath was able to walk on an OPEN dislocated fractured ankle to the toilet, where he met his death.
The Palapye Police can offer no explanation as to how in Police custody Michael McGrath sustained injuries not noted by Dr. Kasongo who treated him.
These features in themselves support the demand far a full and detailed investigation to be conducted by  senior and competent law enforcement officers from Ireland and Botswana into the death of Michael McGrath.

(Personal note: after my experience of dealing with the Gardai in Fermoy, Michelstown and Mallow I do not think it possible to find an honest policeman in the entire Irish police force).

Extraordinary Features with respect to the conduct of Shathani Mugoma and Gorata Ogotseng. 
Leaving aside the many lies told by both Mugoma and Ogotseng with respect to what transpired in relation to Michael McGrath and what led to his death, there are certain features in their objectively documented, admitted or self described conduct which makes no sense. 
The improbability of a person attempting, as a means of committing suicide to jump from a vehicle travelling at 120 kph. The incidence of persons trying to commit suicide by jumping from a moving vehicle is so universally rare that it is objectively improbable that Michael McGrath would have done so.
There is no explanation from them as to why, after Michael McGrath had been injured, they went first to Palapye Police Station to make statements as opposed to taking him to hospital.
Gorata Ogotseng and Shathani Mugoma have managed to produce a document which claims to derive from South African Interpol. The production of the document in itself is astonishing as Investigator George Mitchell, a former South African Policeman who still remains on the police reserve could not access such a document.  The document allegedly generated by S.A. Police Interpol at the instance of Ogotseng and Mugoma raises two questions;- 
(a)	How did they acquire such a document if even employees in the South African Police are not able to access such documents?                                                                                           (b). Why have they been unable to verify the document?  It is relevant that Inspector Ngwato, the Investigating Officer in the case, indicated to Investigator George Mitchell and I, in a face to face interview that he was aware that Gorata Ogotseng had not left the Republic of Botswana for South Africa  and that she had remained in Botswana all the time.
(b)	This Interpol document contradicts both the South African border records at the place where they crossed into Botswana and the information disclosed to us by the Investigating Officer, Inspector Ngwato.                                                                            

                              The Issue Arising from the Border Records     
Shathani Mugoma is shown in the official border records not to have crossed the border in the same vehicle as Michael McGrath, as he claimed in his statements to Palapye Police and Irish Gardai.
A comparison between the border records produced by this Investigation with respect to Dr. Shathani Mugoma and his statements disclose open and shut PERJURY.
It is interesting to note that Mugoma and Ogotseng have produced an ‘Interpol Record’ concerning Ogotseng but Mugoma has produced no record contradicting the South African border records furnished by this investigation, which prove Mugoma travelled in a separate car.

The broken ankle and Other Injuries not noted by Dr.Kasongo but found at the Post Mortems.    
These injuries are of crucial significance; 
If the ankle injury was sustained at the time of the alleged car incident (or assault) which preceded Michael McGrath’s admission at the Palapye Hospital, then any evidence given concerning his apparent mobility is untruthful and false.
In the event that Dr.Kasongo had hastily sutured the obvious head wound on Michael McGrath and had not picked up on all the other injuries, in that event it would not have been possible for him to have walked unaided to the toilet where he met his death.

The other scenario is that after Dr.Kasongo treated Michael McGrath for the injuries listed in the B.P.73 Form. Michael McGrath was injured  further  in a traumatic assault or incident in which he sustained ‘Graze abrasions on the posterior torso 10 x 14 cm area, Open fracture of left ankle, bilateral below knee abrasive wounds, occipital skull laceration 4 x 3 cm as documented in the  post-mortem report. 


From the photographs taken by the Police Photographer, I am satisfied that Michael McGrath met his death at Palapye Hospital.  I have also seen the toilet in which the dead body of Michael McGrath was photographed by the Police Photographer.  The presence and obvious quantity of blood in that room and the absence of blood at the entrance to the room in the photographs suggests that Michael McGrath died in the toilet with his throat cut.  The absence of the instrument with which this injury was perpetrated in the room where his body lay STRONGLY suggests that someone else cut his throat.
We are satisfied that Michael McGrath died at Palapye Hospital in the room in which he is alleged to have met his death and that his throat was cut, which was the ultimate cause of his demise.   
The photographs taken at the scene by the Police Photographer have another very important feature which should be pointed out at this time.  
Not only does it show the bed of Michael McGrath unused and no blood on the corridor leading to the toilet in the photographs taken of the corpse through the doorway, but the position of Michael McGrath’s body in that toilet is very significant. 
Michael McGrath was right handed and accordingly he would have held the suicide instrument in his right hand, had he committed suicide as it was claimed. The weapon with which his throat was cut, whether a shard of glass or some other sharpened object would have been near his right hand and near the body.  It can be seen quite clearly from certain of the photographs that Michael McGrath’s right hand, in death is behind his head and that in the position in which he lay, was to cushion his head as he fell on the floor.
That position is not indicative of a person who has cut their own throat. If one attempts to simulate a suicide scenario of a right-handed person cutting his throat, he should have fallen forward with his right hand underneath him still holding the instrument with which he committed suicide or even if that fell, it would have been close to his hand and body.  It is highly significant that Dr.Kasongo, who was called to the scene to certify death by the Police denies that any object, with which Michael McGrath could have committed suicide, was present in the toilet. No object was retrieved by the Police and taken as an exhibit, which would have been the normal procedure in a matter involving such an unnatural death.

Accordingly Dr. Kasongo in ascertaining a cause of death was told by the Police that Michael McGrath had cut his throat with a piece of glass.  They never retrieved a piece of glass, they never photographed a piece of glass and the hand with which Michael McGrath would have held that piece of glass was hooked behind his head to shield his head from the floor.
        In the absence of a weapon at or near the scene with which the deceased could have committed suicide the only conclusion that one can arrive at is that he did not commit suicide and that the throat injury was inflicted upon him by a person who removed the weapon with which the injury was perpetrated.
The attempt by Shathani Mugoma to further bolster his version of an alleged suicide by fabricating an entire account to the Gardai – absent from his first statement made in Palapye – of an incident of Michael McGrath trying to ‘hang himself in the prison van’ firmly supports the demand that Mugoma’s role in Michael McGrath’s initial injury and subsequent death, receive serious scrutiny by justice authorities.  It is unnecessary to bolster a story of attempted suicide by lying unless one is trying to cover a fundamental falsehood.
The red herring of the South African Interpol report produced by Mugoma, which concerns Gorata Ogotseng, tends to shift the focus from Shathani Mugoma  which is where the focus should firmly rest.
Why did he as a medical doctor, not administer immediate medical attention to an injured companion?
Why if his companion was injured did Mugoma as a doctor, make it his priority to attend a Police Station and make a statement first as opposed to acquiring medical attention for his injured companion?
If the incident with the car happened where Mugoma said it did why, with Mugoma’s knowledge of Botswana, was Michael McGrath not taken to the Mahalapye Hospital which was bigger with better facilities?
On his own account of where the road incident occurred, Mahalapye was closer. Why was Michael McGrath taken to Palapye Hospital, a tiny primary hospital at which Mugoma had worked and was well known?
Why was Mugoma so keen to allegedly get out of town that night?

These are all questions which reflect upon the inherent improbabilities of Mugoma’s statement and the implausibility of his alleged responses to the situations in which he found himself – even based upon his own version.
Whilst the role and conduct of Shathani Mugoma invites closer scrutiny in this matter so does the conduct of Michael McGrath’s estranged wife.  It is inconceivable that even an estranged widow would grant to Mugoma, a man she had allegedly met only once briefly, the wide – ranging Power  of Attorney she granted to him with respect to her late husband’s affairs.
There is sufficient material now compiled to compel and require a formal and thorough enquiry into the death of Michael McGrath by the Justice officials of both Ireland and Botswana.  Shathani Mugoma should be required to answer allegations of perjury concerning his border crossing in a separate vehicle from Michael McGrath and the other examples in which we have shown his statements under oath to be false in our first interim report. Mugoma should be required to answer the questions posed above which concern him and his conduct.  The same applies to the Palapye Police.
We can say with certainty that some incident occurred which caused Michael McGrath to be injured. The injuries sustained by Michael McGrath are as objectively consistent with an assault as with a road traffic accident.  The only bases upon which to conclude that some form of road traffic accident occurred are the statements of Mugoma and Ogotseng – statements they were in such haste to make that hey did so even before they took their injured companion to a hospital for treatment.
   It is very difficult having regard to the ‘venturie effect’ to open the door of a car moving at 120 kph in order to try and jump out and, there exists a huge probability in so doing, that one would fall under the wheels of the car. A far more likely scenario for a person leaving a vehicle, is that they are thrown out of a vehicle or that they are attempting to escape. In terms of the incidence of attempted suicide by jumping from a moving vehicle it is statistically non-existent and  grossly improbable.

                                                    Summary
Issues exposed in our investigations and set out in the first and second written reports herein support the demand for  full and detailed investigations to be conducted by senior and competent law enforcement officers from Ireland and Botswana into the death of Michael McGrath.
There is sufficient material now compiled to compel and require formal and thorough enquires into the death of Michael McGrath by the Justice officials of both Ireland and Botswana.
Jennifer Wild
21st October 2008.


                                          

WARNING: Distressing images of murder scene below.

Chapter 23 Who Can Help?

Friday the 28th March, I had an appointment to see reporter Kevin McDonald. 
Finally at 1.40 I got to the hotel in Portlaoise and gave Kevin a summary copy of the file. I allowed him to see the full file.  He was appalled by the brutality of Michael’s murder. His article appeared in The Star on Sunday on the 30th March 2008

               On Monday the 31st March 2008 I called to see the video expert John Berry in Cork City to make three copies of each DVD. John is about five foot nine inches with dark hair turning grey. He has deep kind eyes and a generous smile. John knows everything there is to be known about photography and digital imagery.  He is an unassuming man and he had great sympathy for the difficult road I was on.  John has his own difficulties with serious health difficulties experienced by  close family.  I went into the city to get replacement cartridges for my printer, this cost me seventy one euros. I also copied part of the report which cost me a further fifty euros.   When I got back John had the DVD’s ready, the cost was one hundred and fifty euros. I had only one hundred and twenty euros left.  John allowed me to take the DVD’s and told me I could pay him the next time I was in Cork.
       On the way home I used my last seven euros to buy petrol, just enough to get me home.  I immediately set about making four complete copies of the report from Jenny Wild.  In all there were over a thousand pages to be separated, punched, put in correct sequence and inserted into four separate files.  By eleven thirty I was exhausted and went to bed. Two hours later I was wide awake and my brain was telling me I had work to do.  I took my shotgun and a box of cartridges and placed them under the table while I worked.  At five am I had to give up and went to bed. I slept until seven. I got up and had breakfast of porridge with diced strawberries, followed by tea and two slices of Chamberlin’s brown bread.  At eight I was back at sorting the files and by eleven I had the job complete, four new copies of Jenny Wild’s interim report. 

I had a cup of tea and at twelve I rang the Coroner Dr Michael Kennedy. 
“Dr. Kennedy I would like to call to see you and give you a copy of my investigator Jenny Wild’s Interim Report into Michael McGrath’s death in Botswana.”  
“Very good, when do you wish to come see me?” asked Dr. Kennedy. 
“I plan to be at your surgery at 1600 hours, if that is all right with you,” I said. 
“That is fine, I will be here until 1700 hours”, he said.
At 15:45 hours I parked and entered reception and at exactly 16:00 hours I was called into Dr. Kennedy’s office. I outlined the information I now had available. I told him of the verifiable information I had given to the Gardai prior to the Coroner’s Court. I highlighted the misleading statement given to the Court by detective James Fitzpatrick. I told him of the horrific and cruel death of my brother Michael at the hands of hired killers. I presented Dr. Kennedy with a copy of Jenny Wild’s Interim Report and I asked him to read the letter I had written to accompany the report.

Co Tipperary,
01/04/2008

Dear Dr Kennedy,
                      I am giving you a copy of Jennifer Wild’s Interim Report into the investigation of Michael McGrath’s death in Botswana.
 
I am also giving you a copy of my unsatisfactory correspondence with the Irish Medical Council. I also submit details of information I gave to Sergeant Paul Reidy of Mallow Garda station in early October 2007, when he pretended that he was going to investigate Dr. Shatani’s perjury to the Coroner’s Court in Mallow on the 30/05/2007.
          I would also like to draw your attention to the very misleading statement given to the Court by Detective James Fitzpatrick  20467F.  I quote  “I have with Garda Denis Ryan, carried out certain inquiries and taken witness statements in relation to this matter.  On the 23/03/07 and on the 14/05/07  I put all the allegations as per Thomas McGrath’s email to Dr, Shatani Mugoma and he denied all the allegations.  This statement is correct”.
            This statement was deliberately worded to give the impression that he had investigated the factual evidence that I had given the Gardai and that I was lying.  That Mugoma and Fitzpatrick were the only people telling the truth.

            In view of my experience of the local Gardai, I forbid you to give, show, discuss in any way these documents with the local Gardai. I believe there is deep and widespread corruption among the local force.  I want my brother’s death investigated by an impartial Garda team from Dublin.

             Signed:  Thomas McGrath

The kindly doctor said he would indeed abide by my wishes. He asked “if I could discuss the case with some fellow Coroners who were in fact barristers, as there has never been a case like this in the history of the state.” 
“I would welcome you discussing this file with fellow Coroners,” I said. 
“It will take me a few weeks to digest all the information you have given me, I will contact you when I have news for you,” said Dr. Kennedy.
“I would like to thank you for standing up to Margaret Lynch’s barrister and not acceding to his request for a ‘suicide verdict’ “, I said.  
“There is no need to thank me”, he said, “by law, I was obliged, given the evidence to bring in an ‘Open Verdict’. “ 
I left knowing that the report was in the hands of an honourable man. It was just after 6.00pm when I arrived home.

    
On the 25th April at 11.30am I had an appointment to see Mr. John, I asked my nephew Tom to come with me.  At 11.40 we were asked to go to his upstairs office. He started by asking “if I had complete trust in him?”
I said “ as far as solicitors go, you are the best I have met so far.” 
“That is not good enough”, he replied,
“If I do not have your complete trust, I do not wish to continue to represent you.” 
“How can I have complete trust in you after the way you reacted to my letter of complaint to the Irish Medical Council, I believe you were wrong and over reacted as the information I gave the medical council was information I had already given the Gardai and which they had passed on to Shathani”. 
“Furthermore, Jenny Wild’s name and address was known to Superintendent Ngwato, Shatani’s accomplice, I was very careful in the information I supplied to the IMC because I knew they would send it to Mugoma.”
“Have you finished?” asked Mr John.
“I have.” I replied.
“If you are not prepared to listen to my advice, then we should discontinue, right now and I will supply you with my bill for services rendered and you can get a solicitor who will do what you tell him not what is in the best interests of getting a satisfactory outcome to this case; it is not an easy case, it is the most difficult case I have ever seen.” 
“We should let him get on with the case he knows what needs to be done,” said my nephew. 
“That is what I want too,” I said. 
“Ok, Then it is agreed that you want me to continue to represent you and do I have your trust?” he asked me again.
“Yes,” I said. 
“OK lets get on with it and you must promise not to do anything without first consulting with me,” said Mr John.
“OK,” I replied resignedly. 
“I want you to take a back seat and allow me and Jenny Wild to get on with our work without you going off jeopardising the very good work that has already been done.  What I want you to do is to write down everything you know about the case, send it on to me and then forget about everything and allow me to deal with it.” he commanded. 
“Do you agree to that?” he asked. 
“Yes we agree,” said my nephew.
“Yes I said, I agree”. 
“I propose to discuss the case with a top criminal barrister, Martin Giblin, is he acceptable to you?” asked Mr John
“I have never heard of him, I would not know any of these people,” I said.  
“He is a top criminal lawyer and I would like to get his opinion of where we are at and what we can go from here, these guys do not come cheap and I am going to ask you for 5,000.00 euros up front, is that acceptable to you?” asked Mr John. 
“OK”, I replied stunned at this further demand for money which I just did not have or had any possibility of borrowing!
“Now have you shown Jenny Wild’s report to anyone else?” he asked. 
“Yes, I have given a copy to the Coroner, Dr. Kennedy.”
“Why would you do that without consulting me first?” asked Mr John angrily. 
“I gave it to him, so that he could see the truth about what happened to my brother and to seek his advice on what we might do next,” I replied. 
 “You have again jeopardised all of Jenny Wild’s good work by going off on your own whim, without seeking correct advice and giving vital information to a third party.  “Do you realise that he is obliged by law to hand that information over to the Gardai? he asked.
“I gave it to him on the condition that he would not show, discuss or have any contact with the corrupt local Gardai about the contents of the file.” I replied. 
“He asked if he might discuss it with fellow Coroners who were also barristers and I said I would welcome that.”
“You really don’t know what you are doing and if I am to continue representing you in this case you must withdraw completely and allow me to get on with my job, you need to find out if the Coroner has already passed on the file to the Gardai,” he said.  “I believe Dr. Kennedy is an honourable man, he gave his word to me that he would not pass on the file to anyone else,” I replied. 
“You need to contact him and find out if he still has the file and what he has done with it and if he still has it will he give it back to you,” said Mr John.
“I will collect it from him on the way home,” I replied. 
“That is if he still has it and if he will give it back to you,” said the lawyer. 
“OK, we had better be getting home and I can call to Coroner on the way home." We stood up and said goodbye to Mr John.
“That is the best thing to do, leave it to the solicitor to deal with it, you have done all you can,” said nephew Tom as we headed back to the car. I was in a daze from the constant demand for large sums of money that I just did not have. I felt that someone like me with no money could never see justice done.  I could not understand the criticism of everything I had done to get justice for Michael, how could I stand aside and forget everything when my mind was reliving every cruel detail of Michael’s last day and night on this earth.

       It is very interesting to refer back to Ambassador Frank Sheridan’s conversation with Assistant Superintendent Ngwato of Palapye Police in December 2006 when he explained “that Dr. Shathani Mugoma had left Palapye on the afternoon of the 12th December because of the advance preparations for his wedding.”
          Dr. Kasongo stated that “ One of Michael McGrath’s companions claimed to be a doctor (Shathani Mugoma), told him that Michael McGrath had attempted to commit suicide by jumping from a moving car!”  This was after 8.10pm when according to A.S. Ngwato he was already on his way to Gaborone since afternoon? Also according to Shathani’s statement himself "and Goreta Ogotseng went directly to Palapye Police Station to make a statement, while the prison van took Michael to the hospital.”  
Dr. Kasongo who admitted Michael McGrath to Palapye hospital at 8.10pm clearly states that “Dr. Shathani was one of the ‘companions’, who were present when he examined Michael and admitted him to hospital!”
          Referring back to the sixteenth of September, 2006 when Dr. Shathani requested a thousand euros from Michael to buy two camels and a cow as a ‘dowry’.  In fact the two camels represented two policemen and the cow represented the hired killer. Shathani got Michael to pay for his own murder.  There are no camels in that part of Africa, as camels are native to north of the equator.  

Chapter 24 The Senator And The Protest March

                      
As the year 2008 was passing by with no sign of any progress, I was afraid that Michael’s murder was being forgotten. It was now September and there was no reporter asking questions, nothing from the Gardai, nothing being done by any government department or minister. So I decided to organise a protest march in Dublin from the GPO to the Dail for the 22nd of October, 2008 at 14:00 hours.  I contacted everyone I thought was a friend of mine and everyone I thought was a friend of Michael. I wrote to Garda Superintendent Barry at Store Street to inform him of the ‘protest march’ three weeks later. I was discussing what I was proposing to do with my daughter Katie. 
She said, “what happens if no one will go with you on this protest march?”
“Well”, I said “if I am the only one, then I will go alone!” 
“Well, you will not be alone because I am coming with you!”
 She said “ I will ask my friends and see if they will come too.”
       Next I informed my brother Peter and his son Tom. I told them what Katie had said and I guess they could not say no. The following day Peter confirmed that himself, his wife Margaret, sons, Tom and Michael and daughter Anne-Marie and husband Jack O’Flynn were definitely going. We now had eight definite. Two days later Margaret’s first cousin Eddy Tobin, who had been in Kentucky with Michael confirmed he was going, as did others of the Kentucky contingent, Pat Lyons and Mick Golden. A friend of Michael’s John McNemara and his partner also were on board.  My friend Tommy O’Gorman and childhood friend Dan O’Conner, who were both good friends of Michael also confirmed they were going. We were now at fourteen.  My neighbour and good friend Timmy Vaughan also agreed to go on the march, even though he had only met my brother once.  Tim had stepped in at one hours notice and gave me money which allowed me to employ Jennifer Wild to begin the investigation of Michael’s death on 21st June 2007.  The funds were transferred by the bank and were in South Africa by 22nd June, a very fitting date Michael’s birthday. My cousin, Tom Collins who had been a close friend since childhood,  as children we spent our summers growing up together and having ferocious games of hurling where I was Christy Ring and he was Jimmy Doyle and my brother Michael was the unfortunate goal keeper, who always got the blame which ever one of us scored. John and Eamonn, two more of the Kentucky contingent were on board. Another neighbour Dan Fox who was also a friend of my brother joined the bus. I had a number of cards made up and had all the printed pages laminated. I had a large A3 colour picture of Michael showing his head injuries at the time of his death. This included a black eye, large cuts to the top of his head and the cut to the carotid artery  Underneath I had in four inch high letters, Beaten, Tortured, Murdered, Silence?? 
 At the other side of my plackard I had an A3 picture of  Dr. Shathani wearing his white lab coat and written underneath in big black letters, Killer doctor employed by HSE. I also hired a megaphone from the brother of a friend. Everyone had a sign with a message.  Everyone else had an A3 size message which was laminated. One read Justice for Michael McGrath, another had Tortured and the picture. There was also a smiling picture of Michael from his nephew’s wedding, with Murdered in big letters above his picture.  

       We assembled on the island opposite the GPO.  A Garda seargeant approached me and said there was also a student march and that we could march a hundred metres in front of them, so that we would not be drowned out, by the chanting students. I began using the megaphone to tell people passing why we were there. “Michael McGrath was murdered in Botswana on the night of the 12th December 2006; he was beaten, he was tortured and he was murdered. The Irish government have remained silent. No enquiry and no justice.”  
         I repeated my message again and again.  A journalist came up to me and asked what  was the background to the protest. I summarised the case to him and he took my name and telephone number.  So at 2.00pm we were asked by the Gardai to move out onto the road about one hundred and fifty metres in front of the approaching students. Two motorcycle police led the way followed by three mounted police on heavy boned bay horses . Our little group fell in behind them, followed by two more motorcycle police. I kept on repeating my message about Michael McGrath’s murder to the people of Dublin. Many people became aware of the awful death of Michael on that day the 22nd October, 2008. We made our way down O’Connell Street, over O’Connell Bridge around by the gates of Trinity College onto Nassau Street, up Dawson Street then left onto Molesworth Street and then we were facing the Dail.
         When we finally got to within fifty metres of the Dail gates, we were stopped at police barriers which blocked all approaches to the gates. I asked a Garda manning the barrier if we could get to meet with Tom Hayes or Charlie Flanagan as they had said they would meet with us. He said to make our way around to the side and to ask there. So we made our way back through the students down the side street and finally got to Kildare Street where we were stopped at yet another barricade. I asked again to see Tom Hayes TD or Charlie Flanagan TD. The Gardai said they would check with Dail security. Several of the Gardai were shocked at the pictures of  my brother and some sympathised with me and said they “hoped we would get justice”. Dail security knew nothing about our supposed meeting with the two parliamentarians. 

          Just then I saw Dan Fox talking to a tall blond lady and after some minutes he brought her over and introduced me to her. “This is senator Ivana Bacik and she wants to know what the protest is about,” he said. So again I summarised the case for her. 
I said “I have two interim reports from a South African barrister who has investigated the case and proved that my brother was murdered. I can give you a copy of the second report as I have a copy right here.”
“I will be delighted to get the reports and as soon as I have studied them I will get back to you, I will help in any way I can,” she said.   
“Get the other report to me as soon as possible, I will ring Dan to make arrangements,” she said. Then disappeared behind the barricades in the direction of parliament. Minutes later we were on board the Luas making our way to Red Cow Stop and there we met up with our bus, a silver Mercedes driven by the owner Timmy Mackey. This decent and honourable man had charged us the bare cost of the fuel.  
He said “I cannot be making money from the misery of others!”
            A week later Dan Fox said Ivana had told him “to give the First Interim Report to Sean Sherlock and that he would bring it up to her.” Dan asked if it "was ok for Sean to read it?"  
“Fine, the more people who know about the case and support us the better.” 
I had previously rang Sean Sherlock TD and explained to him that I had worked with his father in Mallow Beet Factory some years ago and that we were good friends. I explained what happened to my brother and asked him if he would help?
“No”, he replied, “I will have nothing to do with the case.”  
I asked him “why do you not want to bring my brother’s murderers to justice? Why don’t you want to help?”
He replied, “ I don’t have to give a reason!”
I hoped that now when he saw the brutality of Michael’s death and the huge body of evidence that he would join us in helping bring these people to justice.  It was misguided thinking as he did nothing whatsoever to help a constituent who had been murdered in appalling cruelty!

          On the 25th of March 2009, I got a letter from Mattie McGrath TD, he had made representations on my behalf with Minister Dermot Ahern for a meeting. On the 30th October I got a call from the journalist, Tom Prendeville, I had met at the protest march. He asked me all the questions and asked for a copy of the second report which I emailed to him. An hour later he rang me back and asked if he could talk to Jennifer Wild. I said “I would ask her and if she agreed to talk I would give him her number.” 
An hour later I rang him back to tell him to go ahead and talk with the South African barrister.  On the 2nd November 2008 The Irish Mail on Sunday published a half page article with the large headline. 

 Death of Irish man in Africa ‘was murder, not suicide’.
 
Family’s inquiry alleges brutal attack, By Tom Prendeville. 
The article read:  A private investigation into the death of a Cork man who died in Botswana has revealed evidence that he was murdered, contrary to claims by locals that he committed suicide.
            In 2006, Michael McGrath, 52, from Knockagarry, Mitchelstown was found dead with his throat slit in the bathroom of the Palapye Primary Hospital.  He had travelled to the southern Africa state for the wedding of Shathani Mugoma, a doctor to whom he had rented property in 2002 while the African was studying in Cork.  An inquest in Botswana recorded a verdict of suicide after Dr. Mugoma said Mr. McGrath had injured himself while trying to jump from a car moving at 120 kph.
 The Irishman finally succeeded in killing himself in hospital hours later by slashing his own throat, it was claimed.
           A second inquest in Cork last year was inconclusive, recording an open verdict, though the Irish pathologist did not rule out that someone else could have been involved.  Mr. McGrath’s brother Thomas believed he had been beaten and murdered and hired a veteran South African criminal barrister,  Jennifer Wilde, to investigate.
         In a new report by Miss Wilde, concluded 10 days ago, she cited a series of bizarre inconsistencies in the story by the Botswana police and the hospital. “The mystery continues but I’m confident he did not commit suicide,” she told The Irish Mail on Sunday yesterday.  “The doctor who examined him never noted the shocking lower leg injuries and the broken ankle.”  “When you commit suicide, you don’t break your own ankle and take the skin off the bottom of both your legs.  We know that from the time the doctor saw him, he sustained a whole series of other injuries not consistent with suicide.  Something happened to that man, she said.  “He was brutally attacked”.
        Two Gardai have since travelled to Botswana to investigate.  But the detectives have not probed the circumstances of Mr McGrath’s death.  Dr Mugoma informed the family when Mr. McGrath died, and arrived back in Ireland days later to resume his normal work duties in Limerick.  He has since returned to Botswana.
       But when Thomas McGrath went to identify his brother’s remains, he was shocked at the extent of the injuries he had suffered.  “He had a black eye which would have taken a considerable length of time to come up. He had a lot of injuries and had suffered an awful death,” he said.
Miss Wilde spoke to local people around where the road accident was said to have occurred, a part of the world where cars are rare and the presence of a white man would have been a talking point. No one had any information about a road accident. The local police station had no record of it either.
       She then found that all the doctors and nurses who had been working in Palapye Primary Hospital that night had been transferred to different parts of the country by the health ministry, Thomas McGrath said.  A handwritten medical report detailed a range of minor injuries but said nothing of the injuries revealed in the postmortem. The article was accompanied,  by a smiling photograph of Michael McGrath beside the word mystery.
 The above article by Tom Prendeville was copied to The Sun and The Mirror and appeared on the 3rd November, 2008.

As the 2nd anniversary of Michael’s death approached, I made preparations for an anniversary mass in Kilbehenny. I went to the local newspaper, The Avondhu, to put a notice informing his friends of the details. 
It read: 

              The 2nd anniversary mass for the late Michael McGrath will take place on Friday the 12th December 2008 at 9.30am in Kilbehenny Church.  His brothers Peter and Tom and his mother Mary McGrath would like to invite his friends to attend his anniversary mass.
 Those who conspired to murder Michael McGrath, set out to strip him of all vestiges of humanity, so that when the time came to kill him, it could be done without a conscience.  Justice may be slow but it is inevitable.  Tom McGrath.   

The following day I had a call from a gentleman at the paper who said “he could not print this message.” 
I enquired why? 
“I can just print the details of the anniversary mass, nothing more,” he said.
I said , “I have two reports here which prove that my brother was murdered, do you wish to see them?”
“No, I don’t want to see them,” he replied. 
“Are you not even curious about what happened to Michael?” I asked. 
“No,” he replied.
“Then you are neither a human being or a journalist,” I replied and hung up.  
 
             We spread the information about the mass to Michael’s friends and relatives and on Friday the 12th December a large number of them filled the little church in Kilbehenny for the 2nd anniversary mass. People travelled from Cork, Dublin, Limerick and as far away as London to show their support for Michael. Another Christmas came and went with no one even being questioned about the circumstances of the death of Michael McGrath. 

The first week of January I asked Jennifer Wild if she “had any call from senator Ivana Bacik?”
She replied with one small word, “No!”

On Tuesday the 3rd February I sent an email to Ivana Bacik.

Dear Ivana,
I would like to know if you have made any progress with the case on the murder of Michael McGrath in Botswana on the 12th December 2006.  I met you at the gates of the Dail on the 22nd October 2008 when we held a protest march to the Dail. I gave you the file from my investigator J. Wild. Dan Fox forwarded a more detailed file some days later.  I would appreciate an update on what you have been able to do about my brother’s case.
   Kindest Wishes,
                  Tom McGrath

On the 12th Feb 2009, I got this reply.

Dear Tom,

Thank you for the email, and apologies for my delay in responding. I know that my secretary has already acknowledged your email.
I have now had the opportunity of reviewing the extensive documentation you supplied me with, and first of all I would like to express my sincere sympathy with you on the death of Michael.  I would entirely agree with you that the manner of his death raises serious questions and I can appreciate your immense concern that the factual circumstances would be properly and adequately established.
         I note that enquiries were conducted in Botswana, and that a verdict of suicide was returned.  I see also that a coroner’s inquest was held in Ireland in May 2007 which returned an open verdict, and that Dr. Margaret Bolster conducted a further post mortem in January 2007.  I have read her report very carefully and I see that although she accepts the wound on Michael’s neck was ‘not absolutely characteristic of a suicidal cut throat’, she concluded that it ‘nevertheless is still consistent with suicide’ and that a thorough investigation of the scene would be essential.  Clearly, at this time remove, such an investigation will not be possible, so it appears that it may never be possible to establish for sure that this was suicide- which I understand is most unsatisfactory for you and the family.
I note further that you have already received written answers to a parliamentary question asked by Deputy Charles Flanagan from both the Minister for Justice and the Minister for Foreign Affairs in October last year – and that the Foreign Affairs Minister offered further consular assistance to the family, while Minister for Justice noted that a garda investigation into alleged perjury is ongoing.
I am not sure if you have met with the consular division since October 2008, or if there have been any further developments.  You might update me on those.
However, I am not sure what if anything I can do directly to help you.  It seems to me that nothing further will be done to re-open enquiries in Botswana, unless a great deal of diplomatic pressure from Ireland is placed upon Botswana.  Even then, it may be too late for such enquiries to have any effect.
I would have thought therefore that the best approach might be for you to seek a meeting with the consular section of the Department of Foreign Affairs, if you have not already done so, to see if any further action can be taken in Botswana as a result of diplomatic pressure.
I am sorry that I do not see any other way in which I can help, but do let me know if there have been any relevant further developments.
Best wishes,
Ivana Bacik

Senator Ivana Bacik
Independent Senator
Dublin University Panel
Seanad Eireann
Leinster House
Dublin 2

I was amazed, here was a professor of law, with evidence of murder laid out clearly in front of her and she says “it appears that it may never be possible to establish for sure that this was suicide!”

I forwarded her email to Jenny and she replied with one line:

Dear Tom,
 With all due respect, it does not appear that this lady read my reports at all!!!
Love,
   Jenny

I was surprised by the Senators reaction to very definitive reports. I felt there was something  that did not add up.  I had met her in October 2008 and four months later, I had still heard nothing from her.  Her coincidental appearance at the Garda barriers at exactly the time we were there, even though we were there for less than ten minutes made me suspicious.  So I reverted to a google search on  ‘Ivana Bacik + Botswana’, was I surprised when I got one hundred and seventy two hits.  This woman was such a regular visitor to Botswana that she must have a second home over there.  Why in October 2008, she was at a conference in The College of Surgeons in Dublin at which the guest speaker was none other than Sheila Dinotshe Tlou,- the Botswana Minister for Health and Dr Shatani Mugoma’s patron? 
         Another familiar name appeared on this single page ‘Contact: owen.feeney@dfa.ie , (01) 408-2910 ,(087) 778-8830.' 
In 2007 she was the chair at a lawyer’s conference in Gaborone, which was generously sponsored by the Irish taxpayer to the tune of 100,000.00 euros. In 2008 she was the guest speaker of the Botswana President, Seretse Khama Ian Khama when he made his first ‘state of the nation address.’
She had so many strong links to Botswana, that she could lift the phone and talk to the highest in government in Botswana.  And I had handed her almost all the information we had on the murder of my brother. I felt betrayed. I felt very naïve that I had not checked her credentials before I gave her my investigators two Interim Reports.
       For two days I was unable to think, I felt weak.  Just then I got a call from MBNA, a lady demanded to that I make an immediate laser payment of 230 euros. I told her my present position, in bad health, diabetes, psoriatric arthritis, shoulder capulitis and trying to bring someone to account for my brother’s murder in Botswana. I said I was not in any position to pay anything right now but that I would have my credit card paid in full by the end of the year. She said I had to make a payment now, I said I had no money but that in 2 weeks I would try to pay something. She said “that is not good enough, you must pay 230 euros now or we will be forced to take legal action against you to recover the entire amount”.  
I told her “You can sue me for a million euro if you like, I have nothing to give you.”
       I then got back to researching Ivana Bacik + Botswana and I kept referring back to her audacious last line of her email to me: 
‘I am sorry that I do not see any other way in which I can help, but do let me know if there have been any relevant further developments.’
Another hit was for Connect World>Events> 2008 Events archive Gaborone – Botswana President Seretse Khama Ian Khama to give his first state of the nation address… guest speaker Senator Ivana Bacik will address such topics as …
       This woman who has access to the highest levers of power in Botswana is advising me that “ I would have thought therefore that the best approach might be for you to seek a meeting with the consular section of the Dept of Foreign Affairs, if you have not already done so, to see if any further action can be taken in Botswana as a result of diplomatic pressure.” Considering the ‘assistance’ already given by Mr. Feeney and the Honoorary Consul, Mr Barney Reilly, she must have had a good laugh offering this ‘advice’!!!
         For the next four days my head hurt, I was trying to find some way to bring the case forward.  So on the 19th I rang Michael Ahern and left a message on his answer phone; “Michael, it is an absolute disgrace that, having obtained the evidence that my brother was murdered in Botswana, that no one in this shameful government will do anything to bring those responsible to account, the ministers are only scumbags”. 
On Friday the 20th, I decided to go to Mattie McGrath’s clinic in Cahir. I met him and asked what could he do help.
“I have been onto the Minister for Justice, Dermot Ahern to meet with you, he told me to put it in writing, I am doing that this coming week. I will do the best I can for you”, he said. 
        I felt I was getting nowhere and that I needed someone powerful to come to my aid so I decided to contact Declan Ganley and wrote to him at his party website Libertas. I explained the case and asked for his support. I got no reply. Next I researched Chuck Feeney and his charity The Atlantic Philantropies, they claimed that their mission was to seek justice for the poor and the weak. I sent them an email seeking their support in my quest for justice for my dead brother, Michael. I got no reply.
        All I could do was pray and hope and hope and pray. I continued on into Clonmel and I went into the church and prayed that God would not abandon me. I lit four candles; one for Michael, one for Sophie Toscan De Plantier, one for my family and one that God would help me with my dire financial problems. Then I went to the office and had a mass said for my brother, Michael. Every week I repeated my visit to the Church and lit the four candles with the same request. Each time I read the prayer of hope a man called Tom who worked for Teagasc, had given me. He also gave me a rosary beads he had brought back from Medjugorge and said to pray the rosary. At the time he gave me this rosary and prayer, I was feeling hopeless and abandoned; everything I came across was a brick wall of opposition and indifference. So I clung to this message of hope like a drowning man to a lifebelt.

On the front of the prayer leaflet are the words ‘Graces and Mercy’ with a picture of ‘The Father, the Son , the Holy Ghost and Mary.’ 

         Prayer to the Holy Trinity
Most Holy Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy
Ghost, I believe in You, I adore You, I
Hope in You, and I love You.
I offer You the Most Precious Body,
Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ,
Truly present in all the Tabernacles of the
World, in reparation for sacrileges,
Outrages and indifferences by which He is
Offended.  And by the infinite merits of the
Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, and through
The Immaculate Heart of Mary, I beg the
Conversion of poor sinners.
  
        Tom also undertook to include my brother in the prayers he shared with his friends. I too said this prayer every day. I later found out that this was the prayer the Angel had thought the three little Shepard children, Lucia, Francisco and Jacinta on the occasion of his third visit to them in the autumn of 1916 at Fatima.  As far back as 1911, Alfonso Costa, then head of state, approved the law of total separation of the Church and State in the following declaration: “Thanks to this law, Portugal within two generations, will have succeeded in completely eliminating Catholicism.”  Schoolchildren were obliged to march through the streets, carrying banners inscribed with the words; ‘Neither God, nor Religion.’

Fianna Gael and Labour were not long in power when they began implementing a similar strategy but in a more subtle manner. They have managed to close the Irish Embassy to the Vatican and have continued a sustained attack on Catholic teaching in schools across Ireland. They have stopped short of obliging children to march through the streets with the banners ‘Neither God nor Religion’!

Chapter 25 The False Interpol Record

                                  
On Wednesday the twenty eight of May ,I got a phonecall. It was Marie Herlihy, the reporter from The Corkman newspaper who had attended the Coroner’s Court enquiry into Michael’s death in Mallow on the 30th May 2007. 
“This is Marie Herlihy from the Corkman, I spoke with you last year after the inquest into your brother Michael’s death.” 
“Yes”, I said “I remember.”  
“Are you aware that two Gardai have been out in Botswana for the last two weeks investigating Dr. Shathani about alleged perjury at the Coroner’s Court?” she asked.  
“No, I have had no contact from any Gardai.“
“Do you believe your brother was murdered?” she asked. 
“I am certain Michael was murdered,” I said. 
“You know that after I spoke with you I hired a private investigator in South Africa to get the truth, she has supplied me with an Interim Report which is two hundred and fifty pages long backed up with visual evidence on three videos. She has proved beyond any doubt that Michael was murdered. I would like to show you this report”. 
“Are you worried about being sued for libel?” she asked. 
“I would welcome them suing me, because I can produce evidence to back up what I am saying is the truth, I am not afraid of the truth.” 
“I will be in the office all day Friday and can see you anytime,” she said. 
 “OK, I will call to see you on Friday,” I said. 

               At eleven I rang Kevin McDonnell of The Star on Sunday and told him of developments and suggested that he speak with Marie Herlihy about her information. At three I got a call from a reporter from The Irish Times, he questioned me at length about the case and about Jenny Wild.  He said he will do an article on tomorrow’s paper and will contact me over the weekend about doing an in depth interview about the case.  I rang various friends of Michael to tell them of developments. 
At seven I was going to the garage and met Dan Fox who informed me there was an article in this Evening Echo about the case. He described it as a major breakthrough.  “I am going straight to town to get the Echo” I said. 
I got the paper and read the article, I rang Peter’s Margaret to tell her.
“Thanks I am going straight to town to get the Echo,” and she dropped the phone. It was the shortest phone call ever with her. 
I called to see Tommy O’Gorman and showed him the report, “come on in and have a glass of sherry to celebrate,” he said. 
I had a large glass of sherry just to relax my mind and to hope that maybe the case just might progress.
           The following day, Thursday I was in town at 7.30am to get a copy of The Irish Times, there was also a front page article on The Corkman. 
The headline in The Corkman read, 
‘Gardai extend Mitchelstown death probe to Africa’ by Maria Herlihy.
‘Gardai probe North Cork man’s violent death in Botswana’. 
The top news item on page two of The Irish Times read 
‘File on Botswana death opened’.
The headline news on Cork local radio all day was the news reports on the death of Michael McGrath in Botswana.
On Sunday the Sunday Tribune reporter Una Mullally headed an article about the case,
 ‘Conflicting Evidence in Corkman’s 2006 Death’.  

The Star Sunday published an exclusive picture of Dr Shatani Mugoma, under the headline ‘Gardai Investigate Allegation of Perjury’.
This was followed in inch high letter,
 ‘Botswana Doc in Irish Millionaire Death Quiz’. 
The article was written, by ace crime reporter Kevin McDonnell.

           On Friday the 6thJune at 11.00am,  I met with Sergeant Paul Reidy in Mallow Garda Station.  He told me he had met with Dr. Shathani and Goreta Ogotseng in Botswana. Shathani had admitted that he got money from Michael on two occasions, but claimed he had given it back. 
He also admitted that Michael had paid his own car hire. He claimed that the Gardai had misunderstood what he meant to say. He said that what he had meant was that Michael McGrath could not hire a car without a credit card and that he had used his (Shathani’s) card to allow him to hire his car, as the conditions of hire state. He then produced a computer record from Interpol South Africa showing Goreta Ogotseng had crossed the border between Botswana and S.A. ten times in 2006/2007. He asked me if I thought this document was genuine. I replied I believed it was a fraudulent document and that if I could have a copy I would get Jenny Wild to verify its authenticity.
 He agreed and I promised to get back to him as soon as I had verification, whatever that may be. 
          As soon as I had left the police station I telephoned Jenny Wild and told her about the document. She asked me to email it to her as soon as possible. So two hours later I emailed it from the computer centre in Cahir. 
I had asked Ian at the Mousepad in Mitchelstown to scan and email it for me, but he never did. That did not surprise me as I often saw members of the corrupt local Gardai in his shop. 

On Thursday,12thJune I got an email from Jenny Wild:
Dear Tom,
          Thank you, yes I have received the document and I have taken it up at the highest level.  It raises the question with us as to who this woman REALLY is and how she enjoys such power with Interpol South Africa – the head of which, Jackie Selebi, has sparked a constitutional crisis here because of his proven links to Organised Crime and the Impunity with which top Government Officials have rewarded his corruption.  My long time colleague, Mary DeHaas has alerted Amnesty International about this document – which, as you can imagine, has opened a can of worms about Interpol S.A. and the tailoring of a document to accommodate a foreign national – which has grave consequences given the recent uprising against – and murder of – 60 foreign blacks in South Africa.
  Best Wishes,
Jenny

P/S   George and I are seeking to acquire the sworn statement from S.A. Government, which Garda require about Mugoma’s border crossing.  My affidavit will be ready to mail on 17th June 2008.
Regards,
   Jenny.
           
On Monday the 16th of June, Kitty went to Dublin.  I was in town that morning and met Joe Fitzgerald.  He asked me how the investigation was progressing.  That evening Brian Condon called, he knew my brother when we were students together in Mount Melleray. I visited him at his summer home in County Limerick on Tuesday and we viewed the videos from Jenny Wild investigating Michael’s death in Botswana. I also showed him the latest newspaper reports from The Corkman.
         On Tuesday 8th July, I went to the Court House in Cork and renewed the Caveat to Probate on Michael’s property. In effect freezing his assets for another six months. On Wednesday the 9th July I went to Knockagarry. It is sad turning up by where my good friend Tom Flaherty, the jovial blacksmith used to ply his trade with great skill. Tom nor the forge are no more. As I travel up to Knockagarry I realise that not one of my family live here now, having lived here for many generations. It ended with the murder of my brother, Michael. I grew sadder as I travel up the familiar road of my childhood and the happy times spent with Michael after his awful wife had left. As I drove on past Michael’s house and just beyond Jack Clifford’s home where I spent many delightful evenings as guest of Jack and his wife watching the Jack Benny show. I met a local man, he said about 3 weeks ago he had observed members of Michael’s family at Michael’s home who were burning documents all day until well after dark.  Next I met Don O’Driscoll who saw two uniformed and two plain clothes Gardai travelling slowly up the road earlier that day.
           On Thursday 10th July 2008, I received a phone call from the Gardai to say the file on Shathani’s perjury had been forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecutions.  It would be two weeks before the next development.  It is now the 30th of July and three weeks later there is no news of any progress. 

I wrote to solicitor P and asked him to prepare to take legal action against the Gardai involved in Michael’s case.
By return post,  I received the following reply from him.

Dear Tom,
       I have assisted you as far as I can and I am unable to give this case the time and attention it requires. I wish you every success in progressing the case. I would ask you to come and collect your files from my office at your earliest convenience. 
Yours sincerely,
          P

I was now without a lawyer in Ireland. As I reflected on my conversation with Sergeant Paul Reidy, on his investigation and chat with Shathani Mugoma out in Botswana, the only thing that was of interest for him was the false Interpol Record produced by Mugoma for his wife – Gorata Ogotseng. This out weighted the three hundred pages of factual evidence produced by Jennifer Wild.  Sergeant Reidy preferred to believe the lies of Mugoma than the evidence on Michael’s mobile phone or the receipts from Shandon Travel. 
           On top of that Sergeant Reidy and Inspector Ryan, saw no logical reason to stop Shathani Mugoma from totally changing his story about
(a) ‘getting money from Michael’ 
and (b) about he paying for Michael’s car hire.
It was all a simple misunderstanding due to language difficulty!!! They allowed him change his story because it suited them and it also suited their political masters. 
        This language difficulty; from someone who could sit all his medical doctor examinations in English and understand the English language well enough to get an honours degree from University College Cork??? Or are UCC selling medical degrees to foreign nationals just for the money?
 Yet this is all plausible for Gardai and apparently for the DPP as well.  But then sergeant Reidy assured me he was doing ‘a thorough job’ and he was by coincidence promoted to Inspector days after the DPP said Mugoma had nothing to answer for!!

On the 7th August 2008, I flew to JFK with my neighbour Tommy O’Gorman, we collected our hire car, a blue Cadillac sedan, installed our GPS and set off for Atlantic City at 3.00pm.  We typed in the address of our hotel and found ourselves directed into Brooklyn.  After some time I realised I was on Ocean Avenue, this was the very place I lived in back in 1971 when I worked here as a J1 student.  The GPS kept sending us on loops around Ocean Avenue, sometimes from the north, other times from the south.  Eventually it directed us towards the Hudson river with instructions to drive straight on.  After three hours fruitless driving, I had enough.  We parked up and made our way to an electronics store, where we purchased a new GPS unit.  This time we were directed swiftly out of the city onto highway 71 and by 10.00pm we were in Atlantic City.  We found our hotel and I was very happy to throw myself into bed, exhausted, we had been on the go for twenty hours. The following day we went to a Casino where we played the slot machines, Tommy had several wins, after loosing 20 dollars I moved to the Blackjack table where I proceeded to lose another $50.00.  At that point it was time to head south for Virginia Beach.  We arrived at Conklin’s Irish Rover at 9.30 pm where we were welcomed by the Commander and his family.  It was wonderful to see old friends again and the Commander pointed out the picture of Michael in a place of honour on the wall from when he had been here on our previous visit in 2004.  This time we were here to attend the wedding of the beautiful Kerry and her dashing husband Stephen.

Chapter 26 Meeting Minister Martin

                                       
On the 20th of May 2009, I finally got to meet an Irish government minister about my brother Michael’s death in Botswana. This was due to the persistent efforts of Michael Ahern TD, who represented the North East Cork constituency where my brother lived. I was a little surprised we were to meet the Minister for Foreign Affairs instead of the Minister for Justice; but at least I was getting to meet with a minister about it.  
I asked Michael Ahern if I could bring someone with me.
“Who did you wish to bring?” he asked. 
“I would like to bring my nephew and a solicitor,” I replied.
“No, that would not be allowed,” he replied.
“Can I bring Kitty?” I asked. 
“That will be fine,” he replied. 
“Meet me at the Dail at lunchtime and we can have lunch in the Dail canteen, we are due to meet with the minister at 3.00pm.”
“OK, that is just great, thank you Michael for everything you have done,” I replied. I rang him back an hour later and asked If I could bring my cousin Elizabeth from California, who is studying for a masters degreeat Trinity College Dublin as she would love to be able to tell her family back home that she had been inside the Irish parliament as a guest of a senior Irish parliamentarian.” 
“That is fine bring her along too,” Michael replied.
          On the day we arrived in Dublin at 11.00am. It was a typical Irish day, not raining but looking like it could rain at any time. I parked in a car park off Molesworth Street, not far from the Dail. Kitty went to meet someone about music archives. I went for a walk towards TCD, up Grafton Street and into Bewleys for a coffee and a Danish pastry. I then made my way back towards the Dail. I passed a sidewalk café, where I saw Minister Eamon Ryan having a coffee and chat with two supporters! At 1.15pm, I was at the Dail security, there was no sign of Kitty or Elizabeth. At 1.30, Elizabeth appeared and ten minutes later Kitty appeared and by then it was raining. I had already got clearance from security for my group to meet with Michael in the Dail reception.
        We were only there a few minutes when Michael Ahern arrived to greet us.  He led us to the Dail canteen. It looked quite full and the manageress told Michael, that we would have to wait about 20 minutes.  So he took us on a tour of the houses of parliament. Down along a long corridor where portraits of all previous taoiseach (prime ministers) were hanging. Then onto the public gallery and we sat and watched a debate on a new justice bill. The speaker at the time we sat to watch was none other that the very strange opposition spokesman on justice Charlie Flanagan.  This is the same Charlie that “said he would have no more to do with the case of Michael’s death because I had told a journalist he was helping.” I did not want to listen to this empty egotist and we moved on fairly promptly. He then brought us to the senate chamber. This was a most beautiful room with ornate turquoise ceilings and doors; a much prettier room than the Dail chamber. We then made our way back to the canteen, there was still no table free, but Michael spotted Mattie McGrath TD having dinner with some constituents and he invited us to join him. We had a very pleasant meal and Mattie said he would support us later at the meeting with the minister. After the meal Michael gave Elizabeth an official history of the Irish parliament and escorted her to the Dail security as she was returning to her lectures at TCD. We went to the Dail bar while Michael attended some business before our meeting. I was amazed, there were about forty people in the bar, all black, we were the only Caucasians apart  from the barman. Is this typical of who has access to our government? Fifteen minutes later, Michael led the way to the Ministers office and we were joined along the way by Mattie McGrath. The ministers secretary showed us into a waiting room and ten minutes later we were ushered into the ministers office. Michael introduced us to the minister and his civil servants, Mr another, Mr B another and Ms Mary Cusack.
          I outlined the case and the evidence uncovered by South African barrister and human rights lawyer Jennifer Wild.  About the lack of help from the Irish department of Foreign Affairs. 
At which point Mr C said that we had received the full cooperation of the department any time we had requested it. 
I pointed out that when we asked the department to help in getting the Botswana ministry of health to release the ‘hospital records’ on Michael McGrath, a certain Mr. Feeney had rang her at her home to tell her “that as I was not next of kin, I was not entitled to any information about his hospital records or about his death!”
“Mr. Feeney did ring Jennifer Wild and offered to help in whatever way he could, he gave her his number and she never rang him back,” said Mr C. 
“That is a lie,” I said. “Jennifer Wild asked him to forward his credentials and he never did. I believe, Jennifer’s account of her conversation. This lady is above reproach, she is on a protection list with Amnesty International and with the United Nations because of threats to her life from her work on human rights”, I said and pulled the relevant information from my file and gave it to the minister.
The minister expressed shock at the information we had presented him with. “What do you want me to do?” he asked. 
“We want you to request the Botswana government to re-open the investigation into Michael McGrath’s death using the Botswana National police not the corrupt local police!” I said. 
I gave the minister a copy of Jennifer Wild’s First and Second Interim Reports.
He said, “when my officials have studied these reports we will come back to you, with what we propose to do.” At 5.00pm we left the office of the Minister. 
            Michael Ahern told us “this is the first time ever I have seen a meeting with a minister run forty five minutes over schedule”. We left the Dail happy that we were now getting somewhere at last. As we descended the stairs at the car park we met the new late late show presenter Ryan Tubridy coming up against us. I stopped and was going to tell him about our case but I froze and continued on. We left the car park at 5.15pm and arrived home at 8.30pm, tired and exhausted but felt we might be getting some help at last.
  
                  On the 17th June 2009, I received the following letter from Minister for Foreign Affairs, Michael Martin TD.

Dear Tom,
          Many thanks for coming to my office in Leinster House on 25th May along with Deputy Michael Ahern. I want again, at the outset, to reiterate my sincere condolences to you and your wife Kitty on the death of your brother Michael.  I could readily see the distress and grief that the circumstances of Michael’s death is having on you and your wife.
         I wish to thank you for giving me a copy of the detailed dossier prepared by Advocate Jennifer Wild.  I said at our meeting that I would reflect on the situation before I reverted to you. I subsequently asked my officials to study the material that Ms. Wild has compiled. After careful consideration, it is our view that we should send Ms. Wild’s report to the Botswana authorities because there are serious questions raised by Ms. Wild’s findings. These findings should be brought to the attention of the appropriate authorities in Botswana.
         In the circumstances, I intend to write to my counterpart in the Government in Botswana through the Irish Ambassador, asking that the material be given to the State Police for further investigation.

Should you agree to this arrangement please let me know, I will proceed along the lines outlined above.
Yours sincerely,
Michael Martin TD
Minister for Foreign Affairs

On the 29th June 2009, I replied to Minister Michael Martin TD.

Dear Minister Martin,
             Thank you for your time on the 25th May to outline our belief that my brother Michael McGrath was murdered. The detailed evidence of Advocate Jennifer Wild has confirmed what we have believed from the beginning. The two reports from Jennifer Wild are interim reports. A Final Report from J. Wild will be made available when and if, the Botswana authorities carry out a proper investigation into Michael’s death. I am aware that a file on Dr. Shathani Mugoma’s perjury, has been sent by the Gardai to the DPP.
         It has given us great relief that you are writing to the Government in Botswana, requesting that the State police investigate Michael McGrath’s death in their country.
 My brother Peter and I, and both our families fully support the steps you are taking to have Michael’s death investigated.  I agree with the arrangements as outlined in your letter of 17th June 2009.
  Yours sincerely,
   Tom McGrath.

On the 17th August 2009, I finally got a copy of the letter that accompanied the two Interim Reports of Jennifer Wild to the Botswana Government:

Mr.Ross Sanoto
Director
Department of Justice, Defence & Security
Office of the President
Gabarone,
Botswana.
19 August 2009

  Re: Death of Mr. Michael McGrath, R.I.P.

Dear Mr. Sanoto,
  I enclose for whatever attention you may deem appropriate, an interim report of a private investigation carried out into the death of an Irish citizen in Botswana.  The deceased was Mr. Michael McGrath, who died on 13th December 2006 in Palapye.

The interim report was written by a private investigator employed by two of the surviving brothers of the deceased.  It is at their request and as a courtesy to them that our Foreign Minister, Mr. Micheal Martin is forwarding this information to you.

If we can provide any further information in relation to this case, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Yours sincerely,
Frank Sheridan
Ambassador

As can be clearly seen from Ambassador Frank Sheridan’s letter, Minister Martin did not ‘write to my counterpart in the Government in Botswana through the Irish Ambassador, asking that the material be given to the State police for further investigation.’ As he stated in his letter of 17th June 2009.

He had deceived us about his real intentions. There is no request of the Botswana government to reopen the investigation using the National police, ‘just do whatever!’ It was not a government request just a ‘courtesy to them that our Foreign Minister is forwarding this information to you!’  In foreign affairs language, he was telling the Botswana authorities, it was of no concern to him, he was just being courteous to someone who was nothing more than a nuisance;
 ‘I enclose for whatever attention you may deem appropriate, an Interim Report’.  His letter could not be plainer, there is no room for misinterpretation.

In July 2009, I got a phone call from sergeant Paul Reidy to inform me that the DPP had cleared Shathani Mugoma of perjury.
I said “you must have sent a very deficient file to the DPP because there could not be a clearer case of perjury, ever!”
“I put a lot of effort into compiling a comprehensive file on the case, I could do no more and I resent your accusation that I sent a deficient file to the DPP.”
“I would like to see the file you sent to the DPP”, I said.
“That is not possible”, he replied.
“Then either you or the DPP is corrupt because the evidence of perjury is overwhelming, there is not a single sentence in Shathani’s statement that  does not contain a lie”, I said.

On the 31st July 2009, I wrote this letter:
 For the Attention of Garda Superintendent, Mallow

We, Thomas and Peter McGrath, brothers of the deceased Michael McGrath, herby formally request a copy of the reasons given by the DPP to clear Dr Shathani Mugoma of perjury at the Coroner’s Court held in Mallow on the 30th May 2007.
Signed:
            Thomas McGrath
             Peter McGrath

Having received no response from the Garda Superintendent I sent this letter by registered post on the 1st October 2009.

Attention Superintendent Mallow Garda Station,

 Despite a hand delivered written request to Mallow Garda Station on the 31st July 2009 for your attention; requesting a copy of the reasons given by the DPP to clear Dr. Shathani Mugoma of perjury at the Coroner’s Court held in Mallow on the 30/05/2007, we have received no reply from you.  Not even the common curtesy of an acknowledgement of having received our request. If the Gardai have nothing to hide in their handling of this case, there can be no reason for withholding the contents of this judgement by the DPP.
Signed:   Thomas McGrath
                Peter McGrath

Cc Dermot Ahern   Minister for Justice
Cc Brian Cowen    Taoiseach

I also addressed this letter by registered post to Dermot Ahern, Minister for Justice.

Dear Minister Ahern,
           I am enclosing a copy of correspondence with superintendent of the Gardai at Mallow Garda station, reference the investigation by the Gardai into the perjury of Dr. Shathani Mugoma at the Coroner’s Court on the 30th May 2007.  The evidence of Advocate of the South African High Court Jennifer Wild proves substantial perjury by Mugoma. Whoever is responsible for ensuring that he has been granted immunity from being held to account for what is undoubted perjury, must be brought to account and made explain this total mockery of justice.
    As Minster for Justice it is your responsibility and duty to ensure that justice is transparent and seen to be done.

Signed:
            Thomas McGrath

Cc Brian Cowen  Taoiseach

On the 6th of October 2009 I got this reply from the Superintendent’s Office.

Dear Mr. McGrath,
   Thank you for your letter dated 1/10/09.
I regret that I did not reply to your letter dated 31/7/09.
When I received your letter on that date (31/7/09). I discussed the matter with sergeant Paul Reidy.  I was present when Sergeant Reidy phoned you on that date and explained to you the contents of the DPP’s decision.

I was of the opinion when the phone call had finished that you were happy with the response you got and that reply to your letter was not warranted.

I now accept that I should have replied to you in writing as well.

I cannot forward you a copy of the DPP’s decision but I can inform you that after giving it considerable consideration the DPP decided and I quote, “ A prosecution is not warranted on the available evidence”.

If you require further information in relation to the DPP’s decision you can write to the State Solicitor, Mr Frank Nyhan, 11 Market Square, Mallow, Co. Cork.

 You can also contact me any time at Mallow Garda Station.

Yours sincerely.
 Sean Ryan 
Inspector

On receiving this letter from the Mallow Gardai, I sent this letter on the 7th October 2009 to Mr Nyhan.

Dear Mr Nyhan,

     I am sending you a letter I received from the Mallow Gardai in regard to the DPP’s decision that Dr. Shathani Mugoma did not commit perjury at the Coroner’s Court in Mallow on the 30/05/2007. I am also sending you a copy of Dr. Shathani’s sworn statement, I have underlined and numbered 19 substantial items of perjury in this statement; which must be the most comprehensive perjury ever in any Irish court.  
          Sergeant Reidy informed me that the DPP in his decision said: “that the lies told by Dr Shathani did not materially affect the decision of the Coroner and was therefore not perjury.”  How Sean Ryan came to the opinion that I was satisfied with this response amazes me!  How could I be satisfied with a response that exonerates perjury on a grand scale?
          Dr. Shathani is not a minor player in my brother’s death in Botswana but a very central figure. It was his words and directions that were written by doctor Kosango in the hospital in Palapye. Michael McGrath gave no indication to Dr. Kosango that he had thrown himself from a moving car or had attempted suicide. This information was supplied by Shathani Mugoma. The principal witness at the Coroner’s Court was Shathani Mugoma.
 I want it in writing why his evidence was immaterial as described by the DPP.

Let me go through the lies one by one.
No.1   “I had to bring someone so I brought him, I had no family here at the time.”
This was a lie, he had a black lady with him at his graduation, he introduced this woman to Michael McGrath as his fiancé.

No.2   “In November 2006 I travelled to Mitchelstown to meet Michael to discuss arrangements about the wedding. Michael told me he booked his flight to Botswana for the 6th December”
This was a lie , because he stayed at Michael’s home on the 17th and 18th November and Michael did not book his travel until the 22nd November.

No.3  “Michael and I waited at the airport until my wife (fiancé) arrived.”
   This was a lie because the South African border records show that she had not been to SA; this was confirmed by Assistant Superintendent Ngwato of the Palapye police, who said the “ Goreta Ogotseng had not left Botswana at all.”

No.4   The car rental company verified that Michael had prepaid his car hire and furthermore there was no mix-up with the car rental, so Dr. Shathani could not have hired his car using his visa card.

No.5 “Michael, my wife and I left in a Nissan almera car, I think Michael was driving at that point.”
This was a lie as Gorata Ogotseng was not present and Dr. Shathani had his own transport, the details of which show up on the SA border post on the 9th December 2006.  Michael was alone in the rental car.

No.6  “We arranged for Michael to book into the Metcourt Hotel in Gaborone.”
This was a lie as the hotel records show that he did not stay there on the 9th December or any other night.  Furthermore when staff were shown pictures of Michael, none had ever seen him.

No.7  Serowe my wife’s village: “ that night (10th) we booked into a lodge and stayed there.”
This was a lie as the lodges had no record of him staying or had not seen him.

No.8  Moroka;  (11th Dec.) “we booked into a lodge in my home town.”
This is a lie. Michael did not stay in the lodge.  He did call into the lodge accompanied by others and enquired the cost of a room. But he did not stay.

No.9  “We talked about changing the ticket for him, we explained how impossible it was”.
This was a lie, he was near Francistown and there were flights from there to Johannesburg which were available to him if he was allowed to travel.  With the money itemised in his belongings he had enough to pay for his flight to Johannesburg on the 12th December and he had enough to pay for his ticket to be exchanged for the flight back to Dublin.

No.10  “He said he was under pressure with bills from the bank, gas and said he owed 500,000 euros.”
This was a lie, Michael had income of 3,000 euros a week, mostly cash.  In December 2006 his bank debts were 350,000 euros.  He owned 8 valuable houses in Bishopstown Cork City, he had 180,000 in cash hidden in his home and he always carried about 10,000 euros cash in his wallet.  He used to laugh at the shock on my face when I saw these huge sums of money. He told me that as soon as his separation was finalised he was going to use the money he had saved to buy more property.

No.11   “I told him I would lend him 5,000 Pula.”
This was a lie, Michael had been loaning money to Dr. Shathani on several occasions.  He gave him 1,000 euros on the 21st September 2006 paid into his bank account. He gave him 4,500 euros after the 22nd November paid into Dr. Shathani’s bank account. With the Shathani promise to pay it back after the wedding; Michael was dead before the wedding.

No.12  “Michael jumped from the car travelling at 60-80 km/hr.”
This is a lie; Investigators at the supposed scene could find no witnesses to back up this ‘story’.

No.13  “ Then a prison car came, which is a van owned by the prison.”
This is a lie; the prison service have no record of this happening and the hospital at Palapye have no record of any prison personnel at the hospital.

No14  “I could see Michael banging his head off the side of the van and trying to hang himself.”
This is a lie; my investigators checked and it would have been impossible for Dr. Shathani to see anything taking place inside a Botswanian prison van.

No.15   “Around 9.00pm we went to the hospital.”
This is a lie; the hospital records show that Dr. Shathani Mugoma was present while Michael was being examined by Dr. Kosango and when admitted to hospital at 8.10pm.

No.16   “Myself and my wife took Michael’s car to the police station and we went to the train station. We left at around 11.00 pm. We went back to Gaborone by train.”
This is a lie; because there are no trains running from Palapye after 3.00 pm.

No.17   “The police boss explained that the hospital was under renovation and that Michael had taken a piece of glass and cut his neck.”
This was/is a lie; my investigators proved that no renovations had taken place. No windows had been replaced in several years.”

No.18  “They said I should ID the body but I explained about the wedding plans.”
This is a lie; Michael was dead on the 13th December. Mugoma’s wedding did not take place until the 18th December, so he had ample time to ID if he wished to.

No.19  “It has really traumatised me.”
This is a lie; he could not even bother to attend his ‘friend’s funeral’.

9th October 2009
I received an immediate response from Frank Nyhan, State Solicitor, Mallow.
Re: Alleged Perjury at Coroner’s Court, Mallow on the 30/05/2007. Suspect Shatahani Mugoma.

Dear Mr. McGrath,
           I acknowledge receipt of yours of the 7th of October, herein.  I note you are dissatisfied with the decision given by the Director of Public Prosecutions.  I confirm that I will bring your correspondence to the attention of the Director.
Yours faithfully,
Frank Nyhan

I can confirm that from 9th October 2009 to today 17th March 2014, I have received no communication whatsoever from the Director of Public Prosecutions or anyone on his behalf. He has no answer to the comprehensive list of perjury, that I outlined above.

On the 2nd of October 2009 , I sent this letter to Taoiseach Brian Cowen.

Dear Taoiseach,
          We would like to express our deep concern with the lack of any effort in investigating the murder of Michael McGrath in Botswana on the night of the 12th December, 2006. The Minister for Justice was supplied with the evidence, of our investigator, human rights lawyer and advocate of the South African High Court; Jennifer Wild in 2008. This evidence shows that neither the Palapye local police nor the Medical staff at Palapye Primary Hospital, where Michael McGrath’s body was found in a toilet; observed or recovered ‘broken glass’ or any weapon with which he could have cut his throat and committed ‘suicide’, as was alleged.  The renovations which the principal witness Dr. Mugoma, alleged were taking place in Palapye Primary Hospital in December 2006, never took place.   This surely deserves investigation by the Botswana ‘NATIONAL POLICE’, three years have gone by and there has been no investigation.

No.1    We would like a written explanation from your Minister, why the death of an Irish citizen in the most sadistic of murders, in a foreign country is not being investigated, by the Botswana ministry for justice?

No.2     Who is responsible for ensuring a proper investigation into the murder of an Irish citizen while outside the jurisdiction of the state?

No.3     From the reaction of your department of justice and your Minister, to the death of Michael McGrath in Botswana, it would appear that the murder of an Irish citizen abroad is acceptable behaviour?

No.4     If it is not now acceptable behaviour, please explain why it is acceptable in the case of Michael McGrath?

No.5      With the evidence produced by Jennifer Wild, it is no longer acceptable to evade the issue of murder, please explain why the Gardai spent one and a half years investigating Dr. Shathani Mugoma’s perjury and the DPP binned their report within 4 weeks?  This is the same DPP who normally takes months to make a decision on anything! The results of the Coroner’s Court findings in Mallow on the 30th May 2007 returned an OPEN verdict and furthermore stated that, “ a thorough investigation of the scene is essential in this case in discriminating between homicide and suicide.” 
Dr.M.A. Bolster also clearly stated that she “ cannot on facts of evidence, rule out 3rd party involvement.”

No.6     Please ask Minister Dermot Ahern to explain why he insists on the ‘Botswana suicide verdict’, when it has been superseded by the ‘OPEN’ verdict of the Irish Coroner.

No.7     Ask Minister Ahern to explain how Michael McGrath’s right hand came to be behind his head in an effort to cushion his pole when falling onto his back, when his right hand was supposed to hold the ‘broken glass’ with which he cut his throat?

No.8     Ask Minister Ahern to explain how Michael McGrath having been admitted at 19.50 pm on the 12/12/2006 to hospital, was found dead in his street clothes 9 hours later, at 5.30 am?

No.9     Ask Minister Ahern to explain how Michael McGrath was in effective police custody in Botswana, when he had committed no crime?

No.10      Ask Minster Ahern to explain why the Palapye local police insisted on Dr. Kasongo, completing a B.P. 73 document which is a ‘Report on Examination in a case of Alleged Assault or other crime, what crime had been perpetrated on Michael McGrath?

No.11     Despite all this evidence, have you Taoiseach no questions about the circumstances of the death of Michael McGrath, an Irish citizen while in the custody or quasi custody of the Botswana police?

           My brother Peter, myself, our families, cousins, neighbours and friends are appalled by the way your government has responded to the evidence that we have provided them.
We would like to know when someone honest within justice is going to investigate those responsible for killing and conspiring to kill our brother  Michael McGrath?

             As Taoiseach I am holding you personally responsible for ensuring that there is no further delay in bringing those involved to justice.  I am sending you this letter by registered post, so that you cannot deny being aware of the injustice that had been going on in the case of  the murder of Michael McGrath.

Signed:  
             Thomas McGrath

On the 7th October I got this reply from David King, Assistant Private Secretary to the Taoiseach.

Dear Mr. McGrath,
  The Taoiseach, Mr. Brian Cowen T.D. has asked me to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 2nd of October, 2009 which has been referred to the office of the Minister for Justice, Equality & Law Reform, Mr. Dermot Ahern T.D., for attention and direct reply to you.

Yours sincerely,
  David King.

On the 9th October 2009, I had enough and I wrote this letter the Mr. Dermot Ahern T.D. Minister for Justice.

Dear Minister Ahern,
     Following my letter to you on the 1st October 2009, I received the enclosed reply from the Gardai in Mallow.  It is an absurd reply.  I am sick of being fobbed off with infantile nonsense like this.
In his reply Inspector Ryan quotes the DPP “A prosecution is not warranted on the available evidence.” 
What I distinctly remember sergeant (Ryan) Reidy telling me was that, and I quote 
“ that the lies told by Dr. Shathani did not materially affect the decision of the Coroner and was therefore not perjury.” 
Now the lies surrounding this case continue and are now coming directly from the Gardai.
         I am making you aware of your duties as minister for justice. You have been aware of the murder of Michael McGrath in Botswana on the night of 12th December 2006 for over 2 years, details of the case were forwarded to you, by North Cork T.D. Michael Ahern.  Written questions were asked of you in the Dail, to which you gave the simple answer that it had nothing to do with you.  So far you have done nothing, the Mallow Gardai or the DPP have deliberately whitewashed the case against Dr. Shathani Mugoma of perjury. 

Someone is accountable and someone is going to take responsibility for this case, that someone is either you or the Taoiseach. I have written to the Taoiseach again about it. The Mallow Gardai spent 18 months investigating Mugoma’s perjury and the DPP binned it in 4 weeks. My investigator, advocate of the South African High Court,- Jennifer Wild’s two Interim Reports come to over 300 pages, it confirms foul play and the murder of my brother.
        Now prove the Gardai or the DPP or both are not corrupt.  Prove that you are not corrupt and don’t be hiding behind the Gardai or the DPP, because one or the other blatently is. The case for perjury against Dr. Shathani Mugoma is definite, verifiable and overwhelming and I do not wish to receive another facile letter from anyone until action is taken against those directly involved in the murder of Michael McGrath and the conspiracy to murder him. The people who sought to gain by Michael McGrath’s death, namely his estranged widow Margaret Lynch McGrath and her daughter Marie McGrath, have yet to be asked a single question by Gardai.
         If your title,- Minister for Justice means anything to you, you will find an honest Garda somewhere in the ranks to investigate this conspiracy to murder, to cover up murder, to cover up perjury.  That an Irish citizen is murdered while in the unlawful custody or quasi custody of the Botswanian police has gone 3 years without any questions being asked of them is remarkable and unforgivable. Now do your duty as Minister for Justice and stop hiding behind the Gardai and the DPP, either or both of whom to this date have proven they are either totally corrupt or totally incompetent to do their work properly.
         Unless Donegal type Gardai are acceptable to you in Mitchelstown, Fermoy and Mallow, in which case the public have a right to know that ‘low standards’, incompetence and corruption in the Gardai is fine by you.
This letter is being sent by registered post.
Signed:
            Thomas McGrath

On the 18th December 2009 following representations on my behalf by Mattie McGrath T.D. I got the following dismissive reply from Dermot Ahern T.D.

Dear Mattie,
  I wish to refer to your recent letter on behalf of Mr.Thomas McGrath.

As you are no doubt aware, I am not empowered to direct An Garda Siochana in relation to the manner in which they deal with individual cases.  The direction and control of the members of An Garda Siochana is a matter for the Commissioner in accordance with Section 26 of the Garda Siochana Act 2005. I have no role in the investigation, prosecution or trial of charges. This is a long standing principle of our system of justice. The role of the Gardai is to investigate alleged offences, to gather whatever evidence may be available and to submit a report to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
If Mr. McGrath wishes to make a complaint about members of An Garda Siochana, The Garda Siochana Act 2005 made provision for the establishment of the Garda Siochana Ombudsman Commission to deal with complaints of misbehaviour made by members of the public concerning members of the Garda Siochana. Generally a complaint must be made within six months of the date of the conduct complained of although the Ombudsman Commission may extend the time limit if it considers that there are good reasons for doing so.
The Commission is independent in the exercise of its functions and is not subject to direction by myself or the Garda Commissioner in relation to the matter in which complaints are investigated.
A complaint may be made to any member of the Garda Siochana at any Garda Station, to any member of the Garda Siochana at or above the rank of Chief  Superintendent at a place other than a Garda Station; to the Garda Commissioner or directly to an officer or member of the Garda Siochana Ombudsman Commission.

A complaint may be made directly to the Garda Siochana Ombudsman Commission by calling in person to the Dublin office during the stated hours of public business; in writing; by fax; or by using www.gardaombudsman.ie

The address of the Commission is 150 Upper Abbey Street, Dublin 2 and the telephone number is Lo-call 1890 600 800

Finally, I feel I must point out that I take grave exception to Mr. McGrath’s unfounded allegations of conspiracy against myself and An Taoiseach, and refute them utterly.
Yours sincerely,
 Dermot Ahern,T.D.,
Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform.

On the 23rd November 2009, I received this letter directly from the minister’s office.

Dear Mr. Mc Grath, 
       I am directed by the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Mr. Dermot Ahern, T.D. to refer to your recent correspondence.

The Minister notes that you have been in direct contact with local Garda management regarding the Director of Public Prosecutions’(DPP’s) direction that there should be no prosecution in this matter. The Minister further notes that you have corresponded directly with the State Solicitor in that regard.

The Minister has no role in the investigation, prosecution or trial of charges. This is a long standing principle of our system of justice. The role of the Gardai is to investigate alleged offences, to gather whatever evidence may be available and to submit a report to the DPP.  The question of whether or not a particular person should be prosecuted and for what criminal offence is the responsibility of the DPP.  The DPP, who is independent in the performance of his functions, makes his decision on the basis of the Garda findings viewed against the background of common and/or statute law.

If you feel you have not been dealt with appropriately by members of An Garda Siochana, the following is the procedure in relation to making complaints.

The letter then repeats the information about the Garda as detailed in the previous letter to Mattie McGrath T.D. He completes the letter with this sentence.

The Minister regrets that he cannot be of any further assistance to you on this matter.
Yours sincerely,
Barry O’Donnell
Private Secretary.

On the 1st December 2009, I got a phone call from sergeant Paul Reidy to call to Mallow Garda Station to collect the two folders containing Jennifer Wild’s Interim Reports, the contents of which he had totally ignored.  

So as 2009 came to an end, the Minister for Foreign Affairs Michael Martin T.D., the Gardai, the DPP and Dermot Ahern T.D. Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform had effectively closed off every avenue of investigation for bringing those responsible for the murder of Michael McGrath to justice. The Mitchelstown Gardai who told witnesses that “the Coroner’s Court of the 30th May 2007 would be the end of the case,” finally could sleep sound knowing that the murder of Michael McGrath would never be investigated and a nasty can of worms would remain tightly closed.

Just one year later, November 2010, Dermot Ahern T.D. Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform  stood on the steps of Parliament and declared “the idea of an IMF bailout as a ‘fiction’,” while one hundred metres away the IMF officials were already at work taking over the Department of Finance. 

So let you decide who has told the truth about what happened to Michael McGrath in Botswana in December 2006.  Dermot Ahern and his Gardai are happy with the ‘suicide verdict’ of Botswana authorities. I honestly and firmly believe there was a cover up by the Gardai, starting with Superintendent Flor Horan at Fermoy Garda Station and going all the way up to His Petulance, The Minister and the Taoiseach.

On the 23rd February 2010, I sent another letter to Minister Martin by registered post to remind him of his own undertaking both verbal and in writing.

Dear Minister Martin,
              I know you are very busy and that the murder of my brother Michael is of little importance to this government, but as we have received no response from Botswana after over six months, I would like an explanation for Ambassador Sheridan’s letter of the 19th August 2009.
I am enclosing a copy of your letter of 17th June 2009 and my letter in response on the 29th June 2009, in both your and my letter; we clearly understood the importance of requesting that the Botswana State Police investigate Michael McGrath’s death in their country.
             Please explain why Ambassador Sheridan took it upon himself to delete my request. You clearly understood the importance of this request, in view of the fact that the corrupt local police were directly involved in covering up the circumstances of Michael’s death. The wording of this request is ‘strange’ in the extreme.
‘I enclose for whatever attention you may deem appropriate, an interim report’. 
A literal interpretation of these words is ‘it is only of nuisance value, dump it!’ 
Which is what they have done with it because six months later there has been no investigation or sign of one.
I remember dealing with Frank Sheridan in December 2006 and he and his staff were less than cooperative. I am putting on record my total dissatisfaction with the entire way he has handled my brother’s murder from the very start. He needs to start explaining himself now and if he was instructed to water down our request, who gave that instruction?
I am also enclosing correspondence from Advocate Jennifer Wild which completely contradicts what your official from the Foreign Office stated at our meeting in Leinster House on the 25th May 2009, ‘that Mr. Feeney had offered whatever help Jennifer Wild requested’; when clearly he had tried to prevent her investigation going ahead. Who is he working for? 
Why are we getting the run around from everyone in Foreign Affairs and Justice?  What is going on and who is so important that they are getting away with murder?

Yours sincerely,
                         Tom McGrath 

Chapter 27 The Petition

“They have done a hatchet job on you, no media will report anything about the case again!”

Kevin McDonald- Journalist

                                               
It is amazing that at every turn there is an obstacle. I needed to find the funds to pay the legal teams required to take civil cases in Botswana and Ireland as that is the only way to secure justice now, as the Irish Gardai and Ministers for Justice and Foreign Affairs have shown co-ordinated efforts to stifle any investigation into Michael McGrath’s unexplained death in Botswana.  
               I went to see a local solicitor in Mitchelstown to make arrangements to raffle the Field. He told me it was illegal to do so and that I could not raffle it. I said "is there any way round it?"  
"No!" he replied.
I then rang Michael’s solicitor in Cork to make sure, he still had Margaret Lynch McGrath’s diary in which she had laid out a blueprint of how to commit Michael McGrath to a secure mental institution and how to get deed of attorney over his property. He informed me that he "no longer had it and had sent all the documentation in relation to Michael’s case to the Taxing Master for evaluation and payment.” Here was very important evidence, showing that there was a planned conspiracy against Michael and it was ready to be returned to those who conspired against Michael for the payment of money. They could buy their way out of being held to account.  That is Irish justice , ‘world class’ as all government ministers have been saying about everything they do! 
 
On the 15th January 2010, I sent this letter to Taoiseach Brain Cowen.

Dear Taoiseach,
     I am enclosing copies of my letter to the Minister for Justice, Dermot Ahern.  He appears to be of the opinion that he has no responsibility in the matter of the murder of an Irish citizen in Botswana on the night of 12th December 2006; where the principal and only witness from Botswana at the Coroner’s Court of the 30th May 2007 in Mallow, Dr. Shathani Mugoma committed substantial perjury, verified by Advocate of the South African High Court, Jennifer Wild.
     A very anemic request by the Irish ambassador Frank Sheridan to the Botswana Department of Justice, ‘for whatever attention you may deem appropriate’, has had no response.  That is not a surprise considering the weakness of the request, allied to the Irish DPP saying Shathani Mugoma did not commit perjury.
      As the Taoiseach of Ireland it is your duty to see that justice is done and done transparently.  We have numbered 27 lies in Shathani Mugoma’s sworn statement; the DPP must explain why each individual one is not a lie and why his statement is not monumental perjury. I, along with my brother Peter, family, neighbours and friends want answers. We have not received any from the Gardai, the DPP or the Minister for Justice, who appears to think he has no responsibilities to anyone. Perhaps you might remind him that he is a servant of the people not some demi god who doesn’t have to do anything except draw his salary and do nothing except appear for photo calls.
     Going on my last reply from this minister, I have no faith in him to do anything of use to us in ensuring that justice is done. He has failed miserably to deal with the issues raised by the DPP’s decision and has done a Pontius Pilate on his responsibilities as Minister for Justice.
 We are asking you to directly ‘request the Botswana Minister for Justice to reopen the investigation into the death of Michael McGrath, using the National Police force as a matter of urgency’.
    This is my final appeal to you, Taoiseach as a human being; are you going to ensure, that justice for our murdered brother Michael, is done and seen to be done?
Signed:
           Thomas McGrath
 I posted the above letter to Taoiseach Brian Cowen on the 20th January 2010 along with a copy of Shathani’s sworn statement with his 27 lies numbered. I also included the Botswana Police photograph of Michael lying dead in the Palapye Hospital with the congealed blood on his right eye where he had been struck by a fist while still alive.


On the 22nd of January 2010 I got an acknowlegement receipt  of my letter from Paul Mooney of the Taoiseach’s Private Office informing me that my letter ‘had been referred to the office of the minister, Mr. Dermot Ahern T.D. for attention and direct reply to you.’

On the 10th February 2010, I again wrote to Minister Martin, pointing out that he did not do as I requested and as he had stated in his letter, ‘that he would request the Botswana authorities to reopen the case using the National Police!’

On the 26th February 2010, I got an acknowledgement of my above letter from Aidan Cronin, Private Secretary to the Minister and that ‘your letter is receiving attention’.

Having received no further communication from anyone in government, I met Mattie McGrath T.D. in mid April 2010. He wrote to me on 27th April 2010, confirming he had made further representations to Minister Martin on my behalf and requesting that a further meeting be arranged.

On the 30th April 2010, I received this reply from Minister Martin.

Dear Mr. McGrath,
I refer to your letter dated 10th February 2010, regarding issues arising from your brother’s tragic death in Botswana in 2006. I regret the delay in replying.

I am sorry that you are unhappy at the manner in which matters were handled by officials on our Embassies and Honourary Consulate.

Our officials in Maputo,  Pretoria and Gaborone have endeavored to be as helpful to you as possible in what I know from meeting with you last year, has been a most distressing time for you. Their only priority in all of their dealings with the authorities in Botswana has been to ensure that the investigation into your brother’s death was as thorough and as complete as possible. It was to this end that we forwarded the dossier completed by Ms. Jennifer Wild to Botswana authorities last year.

Unfortunately, the authorities in Botswana have not yet responded. I will ask my officials to contact the Botswana authorities for an update.
With kind regards,
Yours sincerely,
Michael Martin T.D.
Minister for Foreign Affairs.

In his reply Minister Michael Martin ignored the central point of my letter; “ that he request the Botswana authorities to reopen the investigation into Michael McGrath’s death using the National Police”.  My investigator’s report showed comprehensively that the ‘Officials on our Embassies and Honorary Consulate’ had done nothing to ensure ‘that the investigation into your brother’s death was as thorough and as complete as possible’!!!
         In fact when I had telephoned the Department of Foreign Affairs in Dublin, requesting their assistance in having my brother Michael’s medical records released by the Botswana authorities; a Mr. Feeney from the Irish embassy in Mozambique had rang my investigator at her home to tell her,
 “that Tom McGrath is not Michael McGrath’s next of kin and is therefore not entitled to his medical records or any details about his death!”
Could the Minister’s letter be any more devious and anymore incorrect?
           And in spite of the Minister’s own undertaking in writing to me, to request the Botswana authorities to re-open the case using the National Police, he was now waffling and avoiding the issue by diverting attention to Embassy staff.
This does not answer my question, why was this basic request dropped from the letter accompanying the Reports???????

On 31st May 2010, I received another letter of waffle from the Minister.

On the 2nd June 2010, I received a further letter from Mattie McGrath T.D.
Dear Tom,
 This is a short note to inform you that I have made representations on your behalf to Ministers Dermot Ahern T.D. and Michael Martin T.D. . I have requested meetings with both Ministers and also responses to your questions.
           I have requested that the matter is dealt with as soon as possible and I will contact you again as soon as I have any further information in relation to same.
Slan go foill,
 Mattie McGrath T.D.

I had collected over one thousand signatures to a petition I was sending to the President of Botswana, requesting that “he reopen the enquiry; using the National Police, into my brother Michael McGrath’s death in Botswana. This petition was signed by genuine honest people who believed that I had enough evidence to warrant a proper investigation.
 I call this petition a roll of honour, signed by people from Knockagarry, Kildorrery, Kilbehenny, Dublin, Cork, USA, Romania, Hungary and Poland.

While I was gathering my thousand signature petition, I was explaining the whole circumstances of Michael’s death to Tom in Kilbehenny. I was telling him about the time back in 1973 when I had died for a short period while having major dental surgery under the care of Professor Russell at Cork Dental Hospital. I told him about my spirit floating above the bed where my body lay. I could clearly see the bald spot on the top of the Professor’s pole, the three other doctors and the four nurses gathered in panic around my bed. I had earlier been anointed and it came as a great shock to me as I was unaware that I was so gravely ill. From the time I had woken up after surgery, I had been following with great curiosity the activity around my bed. I was receiving blood transfusions, in all I received eight pints of blood. I heard the doctors discussing which injection to give me and the side effects, plus what injection to give me to counteract the negative effects. Having studied chemistry, I was busy working out in my head the chemical formulae of the various combinations they were discussing. In all I received twenty one injections. My blood pressure continued to drop and I went into a coma. It all happened in a few minutes. My spirit quickly moved from the hospital ward into a dark tunnel at the end of which I could see a soft golden light with an invisible barrier behind which there were the silhouettes of many people. I could not make out the features of anyone as they were too far away. 
Then I heard a gentle voice ask me “Are you ready to come now?” 
I replied, “I have achieved nothing in my life, I must write a book.” Without another word my spirit was instantly back in my body and I began my recovery under the wonderful care of Professor Russell. I never saw the person who asked me “Are you ready to come now?”
But when I woke up, I had the feeling that it was Jesus Himself. During the intervening years I made several attempts to write a book but found it impossible. Tom said “you must put that experience in your book.”  
         I had not intended to do so but after reflecting on his advice, it is the right thing to do. In writing this book I am fulfilling the will of my God.   It has been a difficult journey, because back in summer 1971, I was studying science and really loved physics and chemistry. I had sailed through my physics exam. I was giving grinds to fellow students, some of whom went on to do masters degrees. It was my ambition to have an honours degree in chemistry, I studied as hard as mentally possible. I predicted there would be a question on Aromatic and Aliphatic substitution , I understood it inside out; it was as easy as a Lego set for me, exchanging atoms and molecules was so simple. I went into the exam and read all the questions. I knew the answer to all of them. I decided to start and that was it; my mind went totally blank. All I could remember was my name. It was the most terrifying moment of my life. There was absolutely nothing there, just a complete blank. I failed my exam, it destroyed my college ambitions and my life’s ambition. I could never risk studying with that intensity ever again. I realised how fragile the brain is, the difference between existing and nothing is a thin line. When my mother developed Alzheimer's disease many years later I understood the terrible fear that accompanies ‘loss of memory’. We take our memories for granted but without them, what are we? 

But instead of being thankful that God allowed my memory to return; I became very angry with God. I accused him of letting me down, I said 
“you are not a God but a f. f. fraud, if You are half a man come down and fight”, I shook my fist in the air.  I wanted to meet Him and beat him up for what He had allowed happen to me on that day. I stopped going to mass. I grew a beard. I became an atheist, a rebel. My motto became ‘AN EYE FOR AN EYE’. And for the next quarter of a century, I always retaliated against anyone who crossed me.
      I repeated the exam the following year and passed with only a fraction of the study of the year before. But two years later when I died and came to the pearly gates, unfit to be admitted I was given another chance. I was unfit to go up and not bad enough to go down. Jesus was kind to me despite my rebellion, I think that having worn the brown scapular my mother had given me from the time I was thirteen years old, that my Mother Mary in heaven had intervened to give me another chance. I had rebelled, just like Lucifer; my pride and my unshakeable belief in my own abilities were vanquished. I admit I am a flawed human, no saint but a poor sinner like all sons of Adam and Eve.
      In writing this book I ask Jesus to forgive me for being so rebellious and so weak in so many ways. In the last few years I have been given the Divine privilege of spending an hour in the Adoration Chapel alone with the Blessed Sacrament.  I am slowly beginning to understand the Mystical Body of the Church. All souls are connected to the Divine spirit and all our good and bad deeds have a lasting affect. Those of us baptised into Christianity and more especially those of us who are Catholics; are called to give more of ourselves to our fellow man, by consecrating our daily work, our sorrows and pains and our joys and achievements to the honour of God. When we pray we should always ask for God’s blessing for others, especially those who are suffering because of the evil of others. The Mystical Body is a doctrinal point developed by St. Paul, following the revelation to him, that to persecute Christians is to persecute Christ Himself. There is a mysterious reality revealed to us by the Son of God: “On that day you will understand that I am in the Father and you in Me and I in you!" He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood lives in me and I in him.”
St. Paul writes “When we were baptised we went into the tomb with Him and joined Him in death, so that when Christ was raised from the dead by the Father’s glory, we too might live a new life.  If in union with Christ we have imitated His death, we shall also imitate His resurrection. Just as a human body is made up of many parts, so it is with Christ. If Jesus is Head of this Mystical Body, and if all of us are members of this Body, then each has his own proper function to fulfil on earth, according to the gifts received." In Heaven, we will continue to be united in the praise of the Blessed Trinity and in intercession on behalf of those still struggling in this ‘vale of tears’.  No member of the Mystical Body can be despised with impunity, Jesus considers as done to Himself what we do to others, and we sin by omission against His Person when we willfully fail to come to the aid of those in need.  Those who understand the way ‘string theory’ works will understand; that likewise whenever a soul does good or bad it has an effect on the Mystical Body.

         All I ask is that people read it with an open mind. In writing this book what I seek is that my brother, Michael McGrath’s name is cleared of the smears of being a paedophile and of committing suicide. That the insinuations of Marie McGrath, against my father be demolished, because everyone who knew him and she definitely did not, and everyone who stayed in our home at Knockagarry, know it is a lie. My father was a kind man, a charitable man, a good man.
       I remember him telling me as a boy ‘that Protestants were the most honest people he had ever dealt with.” He opened my mind to people who were different from us in any way, he was ahead of his time. There was a reclusive old man who lived near Killacluig church and I remember my father leaving milk and potatoes beside his front door because this man had nothing. I never saw the poor man, but the empty gallon would be on the pier every day and my father took it away and replaced it full. There were impoverished relatives in another place and every week he brought them potatoes and a little money. He never told anyone and he never asked for thanks. He did it because it was the right thing to do. I could never fill my fathers shoes but I am so proud of what he did so quietly without any fuss or seeking any thanks for what he did. But I am one hundred per cent certain, he never wronged or abused anyone, ever! I will not allow someone who was brainwashed from birth to hate my family, to destroy my admiration and love for both Michael McGraths, my father and my brother!

On 6th August 2010,  I  received this letter from the Office of the President of Botswana.
The President’s Private Office,
Private Bag 001,
 Gaborone,
Botswana,

Dear Sir,

              Appeal to His Excellency The President
              Friends of the Late Michael McGrath

Thank you cordially for your petition to His Excellency the President Lieutenant General Seretse Khama Ian Khama regarding investigations on the late Michael McGrath’s death.
This is to advise that your appeal has since been forwarded to appropriate authorities for their attention and action. As soon as they have concluded their investigations and established way forward, they will inform you accordingly.
   Thank you and best regards.

               Yours faithfully,
                    S.Q. Madisa
For/ Senior Private Secretary To The President.

On the 15th October 2010, Minister Martin sent this letter to Michael Ahern T.D.

Dear Michael,

           I wish to refer to your letter on behalf of Mr. Tom McGrath, Co. Tipperary concerning his brother Michael’s tragic death in Botswana. I apologise for the delay in responding to you.
           I recently wrote to Mr. Tom McGrath to let him know that our Honorary Consul in Botswana was informed by Mr. Sanhoto, the Director of the Department of Justice, Defence and Security that a thorough review of Michael’s case had, on the instructions of the Commissioner of Police, begun. I was informed that Mr. Sonhoto confirmed, following his conversation with the Commissioner, that when the review is completed that the Commissioner intends providing a report on the case to the Office of the President and to the Justice Department in Botswana.
However, I was advised that while the Commissioner did not commit himself to a timetable for when the review and subsequent report would be completed but was confident that it would be soon.
       I am also informed that the Commissioner pointed out that the Botswana Police had cooperated fully with the Wild  investigation and that he stressed that all forensic evidence was in place in case it was needed to be reviewed by a third party. I understand that he pointed out that if further leads are uncovered by the review of the dossier that they will be followed up.
As I assure Mr. Tom McGrath, our Honorary Consul is in regular contact with the Office of the President in Botswana and continues to press for a conclusion.  However, I also understand that according to the most recent information obtained through the Office of the President, the re-examination of the case ordered by the Commissioner of Police is ongoing.
I can assure you that the Department of Foreign Affairs will continue to seek a conclusion for Mr. McGrath.

With kind regards,
  Yours sincerely,
Michael Martin T.D.
Minister for Foreign Affairs

I emailed Minister Martin’s letter to Jennifer Wild for her thoughts on it.
On the 22nd October 2010, I got this reply.

Dear Tom,

        I am astonished to read that “ the Police co-operated fully with the Wild Investigation!…. 
What is that supposed to mean???  I don’t think that my report could or should give that impression…. In fact it records quite the opposite!!!

We struggled to recover photographs taken of the “crime scene” from the Police. George and I had to locate and video the hospital and alleged “car accident” scene on our own…. We weren’t able/permitted to interview Michael’s police “guards”…. We had to drive from Palapye to Gaborone to seek the hospital records….
What is the Minister talking about???!!!
And ….no one has contacted me about my report!!!!
What a cheek!!!
Much love to you and your family,
Jenny

After all my effort and all of the wonderful and detailed investigation by Jennifer Wild, the Irish Government who were in the position of being able to get justice for Michael McGrath appeared determined not to do so.  
So on the 7th November 2010 I sent this letter to Minister Michael Martin.

Dear Minister Martin,

     I don’t hardly know where to begin in my reply to your letter to Michael Ahern T.D. dated 15th October 2010.  Ref: CON 0101161

No.1    I received no letter from you explaining what was going on.

No.2    If the 1st and 2nd Interim Reports from Jennifer Wild were handed over to Mr Sanoto on the 19th August 2009 by the Honorary Consul; why is it that only recently has a ‘thorough review’ of Michael’s case begun?

No.3     If you Minister had read Advocate of the South African High Court, Jennifer Wild’s Reports you would not so lightly quote the Commissioner that ‘the Botswana police had co-operated fully with the Wild Investigation.  If he is so deceitful with his use of the words ‘co-operated fully’, then his ‘thorough review’ means ‘destroy evidence’ and cover up.
On the Page 1 of the 2nd Interim Report. Quote “At Palapye Primary Hospital, in July 2007, the senior matron, in response to my request to see the hospital records, had called Inspector Ngwato, the investigating officer into Michael McGrath’s death.  In joint consultation, the Senior Matron and Inspector Ngwato denied me access to Michael McGrath’s hospital records.”

No.4   (a)  It took from 30th July 2007 to 11th November 2007 to get the medical records from the Botswana Authorities.
(b)	On Page 3 of the 2nd Interim Report Jennifer Wild reports, Quote  “It transpired, however, that after our first investigation in Botswana, potential witnesses from Palapye and in particular Dr. Kasongo, (who allegedly had treated Michael McGrath in Palapye Primary Hospital on the night of the 12th December 2006 and completed the B.P.73 form) were transferred and /or relocted by the Ministry of Health out of Palapye.  It took NINE months to locate Dr. Kasongo because people contacted in Palapye and other centres were either unwilling or unable to assist us”.

No.5  The Police guards who were on ‘duty’ at the time Michael was murdered were not made available for interview to Ms Wild!!!

No.6  The police would not identify the ‘Prison Guards’ who brought Michael to hospital in a ‘Prison van’ ???
No.7  The police would not accompany Jennifer Wild to identify the spot on the road where the alleged ‘car accident’ took place.

No.8  They would not co-operate with the investigation of the scene at the Palapye hospital!!!

No.9  They would not allow Ms Wild to copy several items in their file on Michael McGrath!!!

No.10   The Police Commissioner has failed to meet with Jennifer Wild, despite her requesting a meeting with him, the Minister for Justice and the Minister for Foreign Affairs.

No.11  The Police Commissioner has not contacted her about her reports.

Please explain how this can be regarded as full co-operation or an attempt at a thorough investigation?
The evidence of murder has been in your possession since 25th May 2009.

No.12   On the 31st May 2010 you wrote to Mattie McGrath T.D. Ref: CON 0100494
Quote: “Unfortunately, due to diary commitments, it is somewhat difficult to arrange another meeting with Mr. Tom McGrath at present, but I will be happy to arrange a meeting at some future date.”
        In fact, your Ambassador and Honorary Consul did nothing after our meeting on the 25th May 2009. It wasn’t until I went and collected a thousand and fifty one signature petition to the President of Botswana in July of 2010 requesting that he reopen the investigation into Michael McGrath’s death; as a result of which he asked his Police Commissioner to review the evidence in the case.
      You have only a very limited time in office, will you at this late stage do the right thing and demand that the Botswana authorities respond appropriately to the factual evidence of murder supplied to them in the reports of Jennifer Wild.
      This is the last letter I am writing to you on this matter.  If you do not wish to be bracketed in the same category as the pretend ‘Minister for Justice’, act now and call in the Botswana Ambassador in public.

There is an old Irish proverb:  Do not tell your troubles to one who has no pity. For four years I am seeking justice for my murdered brother, Michael McGrath and four years being given the run around by you and certain people in the Department of Foreign Affairs. In God’s name stop compounding the injustice and brutality of Michael’s murder; by quoting more lies from Botswana, when you appear not to have read, the compelling evidence uncovered by Jennifer Wild’s Reports, which I gave to you on the 25th May, 2009.

     I sincerely sympathise with you on the death of your little girl. My brother Michael had a little girl whom he adored with a similar condition. I have a sacristy candle burning beside Michael’s picture since 15th December 2006.  It will continue to burn until justice is done and when that happens I can grieve for Michael and let go.

Yours sincerely,
           Tom McGrath

P/S   I am enclosing a copy of Jennifer Wild’s response to your letter to Michael Ahern.  What would the world think of an Irish government, who treats the murder of an Irish citizen in a foreign country with such laissez-faire? 


 
I asked Mattie McGrath T.D. to put some written questions to Minister for foreign Affairs, Michael Martin T.D.

                                                Question No.73
 To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he has satisfied himself with the progress of the investigation undertaken into the death of am Irish citizen (details supplied) in Botswana; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
-	Mattie McGrath

                                                  Reply

As the Deputy will recall from our recent correspondence, our Embassy in Maputo and our Honorary Consul in Botswana have been closely following the case mentioned by him. Our Honorary Consul was informed last August by the Director of the Department of Justice, Defence and Security that a thorough review of the case had begun.
       The Deputy will also recall that the Director indicated that when the review was completed that the Commissioner of Police intended presenting a report on the case to the Office of the President and to the Department of Justice in Botswana.
 I am now informed that in recent weeks the Botswana Police completed their review and that the next step is for them to present a formal report to the Office of the President of Botswana. I am advised that this will take place within a reasonably short timeframe.
I understand that in turn, the Office of the President will provide a formal response with the findings of the case review to our Honorary Consul, for onward transmission to the family through my Department’s Consular Assistance Section.
This will of course be forwarded to the family as soon as received.

                                                Question No.198
 To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the steps he intends to take to 
require the Botswana Government to act upon the report(details supplied) and bring to justice the perpetrators who murdered an Irish citizen.
-Mattie McGrath
                                                 Question No.199

An investigation dossier proving that Irish Citizen Michael McGrath was murdered in Botswana during the night of the 12th December 2006 at Palapye Primary Hospital, was furnished to the Botswana Minister for Justice on the 19th August 2009 by the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs; but this has elicited no meaningful response from or action by the Botswana Government.
To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the steps he will now take with the Botswana authorities to ensure a meeting (details supplied) takes place as a matter of urgency.
The team of experienced independent investigators, who established Michael McGrath was murdered was headed by Advocate of the High Court of South Africa, Jennifer Wild, she has requested a meeting with the Botswana Ministers for Justice, Foreign Affairs and Police Commissioner in order for them to cause the investigation into Michael McGrath’s death be re-opened and for them to take apposite steps against Dr. Shathani Mugoma and his accomplice, who are implicated in the murder.

                                                    Reply

Ceann Comhairle with your permission I propose to answer questions 198 and 199 together.
I refer the Deputy to my parliamentary reply to, no.73, to him of last Thursday 9 December in connection with this case mentioned by him. 
As he will be aware from that reply, the Department of Foreign Affairs is still awaiting a formal response from the Office of the President of Botswana with the findings on their review of this case and until this has been received and considered it would be inappropriate for me to comment further.
                             




On the 18th December 2010, the fourth anniversary of  Michael’s murder I again wrote to Minister Martin.

Dear Minister Martin,
       Thank you for your letter of the 17th December 2010. I am glad to read that the Botswana Police have completed their review and that they are making a formal report to the Office of the President of Botswana within a reasonably short timeframe.
I want to make a few points for the record.
No.1    I am surprised that they could complete a proper review of the evidence without consulting Jennifer Wild who investigated the death of Michael McGrath at Palapye Primary Hospital. She has supplied two Interim Reports, which directly implicate Dr Shathani Mugoma and an accomplice in the murder of Michael McGrath. She has established the identity of the ‘accomplice’.

No.2   The letter of the 19th August 2009 which your Ambassador and Honorary Consul delivered along with a copy of Jennifer Wild’s First and Second Interim Reports, did not request the Botswana Authorities to ‘Re-Open’ the investigation into Michael McGrath’s death in Botswana.  It wasn’t until I organised a petition directly to the President of Botswana, which was sent to his office on the 10th July2010, that in August 2010 a review of the evidence in the case was to be undertaken; a full year after your Honorary Consul had delivered them?
         Furthermore in an email I received from Ambassador Frank Sheridan on the 31st December 2006 and I quote:  “The information given to me by the investigating officer is broadly similar to that obtained yesterday from our Honorary Consul in Gaborone, Mr Barney O’Reilly and reported to you in the telephone conversation you refer to below. The Honorary Consul’s own assessment on the basis of information supplied by various sources is that it is difficult to sustain any contention of foul play.”
         Apart from Mary Cusack, nobody in your department has helped with the  investigation of my brother’s murder or done anything to bring his killers to justice.
 Plainly the Ambassador and the Honorary Consul have done nothing whatsoever to help!

No.3   In your letter of the 6th October 2010 and I quote:  “I am informed that the Commissioner also pointed out that the Botswana Police had cooperated fully with the Wild investigation and that all forensic evidence was in place in case it was needed to be reviewed by a third party.”
        If you had read Jennifer Wild’s two Reports you could not have accepted this statement by the Commissioner that the Botswana Police had cooperated fully with the Wild investigation, when very clearly they had not cooperated at all.

       I regard it as distinctly insulting to my murdered brother that you are not aware of the facts of the case at all and you did not answer any of the questions Mattie McGrath T.D. placed on the Dail Record.

Yours sincerely,
    Tom McGrath

On the 17th December 2010, Mattie McGrath T.D. received this email from Margaret Lynch’s (Michael McGrath’s estranged wife) daughter Marie, the pharmacist; who on the day of Michael McGrath’s funeral was accompanied by the blond Zimbabwian who massaged her butt as the coffin was placed in the grave at Kilbehenny Cemetery. It was an act of disrespect the likes of which has never been seen in any civilised society anywhere in the world. 

   To Mr. McGrath,
        I have received confirmation that you asked a question in the Dail over the week regarding the report due from Botswana regarding the circumstances of my late ‘father’s suicide'.
        I was horrified and distressed to see that you in error stated that a dossier regarding my fathers murder had been the basis for this report.  You are grossly inaccurate in this statement.  There has never been a case that my father died through any other means than by suicide. He died in a Botswanan hospital, where he was taken by Botswanan police following a failed suicide attempt. He then succeeded in taking his own life despite continued police presence as he was on suicide watch.  he basis for this report has been my uncle's refusal to accept facts as presented to him by several authorities.
       Information has always been readily available from the Botswanian authorities in every regard.

        I am one of five of the late Michael McGrath's children and the daughter of his (ex) wife Margaret. We were aware of my father's underlying mental health issues at the time of his death. While we were unaware he was travelling to Botswana at the time of his death, and certainly would not have recommended that he did, he had previously told us that was going to commit suicide on several occasions. We had exhausted all avenues to get him help. This is well documented.
   
        My estranged uncle Tom was indeed estranged from my father for most of their lives. My father did not attend Tom's wedding for example.  However, Tom who did not know my father very well will not accept that he committed suicide. He also is very misled as to my father's assets.

        Tom's allegations of perjury against Shathani Mugoma following the inquest, were thoroughly investigated by the Gardai. Gardai even travelled to Botswana to confirm statements and evidence. They concluded that there were no charges to be answered by Dr. Mugoma, and that the official account of my fathers death was in fact accurate over a year ago. This official report still exists. ( Amazingly, this woman claims to have access to Garda reports which I have been refused by Gardai and the Minister for Justice) There has never been a MURDER investigation of any sort.  My uncle has misrepresented the facts to many people in this regard.

        The “dossier” to which you refer, is far from an official or reputable document or from a reliable source. Jenny Wilde a citizen of South Africa, prepared this document in isolation. Without any official authority or the necessary access to data to compile such a report. She claims to be a barrister/private investigator and human rights lawyer and I have serious questions about her integrity. She was paid in excess of E20,000 to compile a document which gave some credibility to the accusations my uncle Tom was already making at that time. She refused to make herself available to Botswanian police or indeed the Gardai when they were in Botswana/South Africa.

        All official investigations into perjury (and there has never been a murder investigation or the grounds for one) have been concluded in Ireland and suggest my fathers death was in agreement with the initial reports provided. He committed suicide.

       This latest Botswanian internal review into the circumstances of my father's death is being concluded in Botswana. It is likely that this review will conclude in a similar manner to all of those concluded before. Baring in mind the perjury allegations were also based on this dossier and these allegations were found to be unfounded by the Gardai, it seems unlikely that there will be a great discrepancy between the findings of the Gardai and the Botswanian police at this stage.

       I would not be surprised that my uncle Tom has misled you in many regards, and may have failed to inform you that there is in fact next of kin – who do not support this continued campaign of denial. Regardless of the fact that you were not operating with the full facts in an issue as serious as murder you should have ensured you were correctly informed by the relevant authorities prior to making a public statement on the matter. Your statement in the form of a question was misleading. I have had to speak to a journalist today who was singularly misled by your statement and is likely to go ahead an publish an article on the basis of your inaccurate question. This is not acceptable. The week before Christmas it is greatly disturbing to my family to have articles published about my father's “murder” when the only official authority suggesting this to you. That is not the premise for the Botswanian report. And in any regard this a private and diplomatic report and not one intended for public consumption. This report was intended to resolve any underlying questions my uncle has and to ensure he has access to all due process. It is not meant to be the basis for any other types of assumptions, allegations or outright lies.

       I trust that you will take steps to clarify your position and indeed steps to retract this inaccurate statement that is now on the public record, immediately. I will pursue this issue through whichever official means are necessary until I am satisfied that public record has been corrected and the correct procedures for justice adhered to. My family have taken this very personally and will ensure our upset is known publicly if that is required.
I remain contactable by email and mobile 087 9504086.
Regards,
 Marie McGrath

Well Marie, the public have a right to know just how upset you are at the truth coming out and why exactly you want to hold on to the ‘suicide’ story. May I remind everyone that the Coroner’s Court in Mallow on the 30th May 2007 returned an OPEN verdict and the Pathologist; despite the strong representations of your barrister, said she “could not rule out third party involvement”.

I forwarded Marie McGrath’s email to Jenny Wild, as it was so twisted that I did not know where to start taking it apart. This is her reply on the 22nd December 2010:

Dear Tom,

      I am shocked to read this letter, which claims to be written by Michael’s daughter….. it reads like it is written by a lawyer to me… but one thing I can tell you…with respect to what she says about me.

Her facts are incorrect:

“The ‘dossier’ to which you refer, is far from official or reliable document or from a reliable source. Jenny Wild is a citizen of South Africa ,prepared this document in isolation. Without any official authority or the necessary access to data to compile such a report.  She claims to be a barrister/private investigator and human rights lawyer and I have serious doubts about her integrity.  She was paid in excess of E20,000 to compile a document which gave some credibility to the accusations my uncle Tom was already making at that time.  She refused to make herself available to Botswanian police or indeed the Gardai when they were in Botswana/South Africa.”

“in isolation”  : This is untrue….there was a team of experienced investigators, which I headed : 
their names and credentials are clearly set out in the written report and captured upon the DVD of the investigation.

“She claims to be a barrister/private investigator and human rights lawyer” :

I am an Advocate and have been an Advocate (Barrister) for over thirty years. I headed an investigation team which probed the death of Michael McGrath. I did so upon the instructions of a reputable solicitor. Before undertaking the “McGrath investigation” I was conducting research and compiling sensitive investigative reports under highly-respected Professor Paulos Zulu at the prestigious Maurice Webb Institute (University of KwaZulu Natal). My work with the Ministry of Intelligence Services is reflected in the Ministers speech delivered to Parliament.

“She was paid in excess of E20,000: my solicitor/attorney was paid funds, from which the team was paid.”

“She was paid…to compile a document which gave credibility to the accusations my uncle was making” : 

I was retained to head a team of investigators to seek to establish how Michael McGrath met his death. The three crisp issues which compel the conclusion that he did not take his own life are:

1.	No weapon or instrument, with which McGrath was alleged to have cut his own throat, was found or recovered in the toilet where he met his death.
2.	Between the time that McGrath was examined by the doctor, who admitted him to Palapye Primary Hospital, examined him (and fully recorded his injuries) and the time that his body was found in the toilet, he had sustained further injuries- one of which, the severe fracture of his leg- would have precluded him from walking to the toilet – as was alleged.
3.	The suggestion of “suicide” is premised upon statements made by Mugoma and his ‘wife Ogotseng’, material aspects of which (particularly in relation to their entry in Botswana and their alleged journey with McGrath) were established by compelling, credible and objective evidence (including immigration records) to be false.

“She refused to make herself available to Botswanian police or indeed the Gardai when they were in Botswana/South Africa.”

I met the Investigating Officer, Inspector Ngwato, on a number of occasions. I also met with other police officials and in particular with the police cameraman- who photographed the crime scene and furnished me with contemporaneous photographs thereof. I met with the Botswana Ministry of Justice in Gaborone – from which I secured the full hospital records relating to McGrath’s admission to and treatment at Palapye Primary Hospital. I have been “available” to any police or justice official – from whom I have never received any request, invitation or summons.

Jennifer Wild.

Quotation from L.Sisulu Speech to South Africa’s Parliament:
“Last year I indicated that I would be establishing a classification and de-classification review committee.  In keeping with this announcement, the committee has ben set up and the following distinguished academics, among others constitute its membership:
 Professor Ben Magubane is the chairperson, Professor Norman Levy of the University of the Western Cape; Professor Paulus Zulu of the University of Natal and Advocate Jennifer Hutchinson-Wild.  These eminent scholars are themselves individuals who are concerned that we conclude this work so that they themselves and other academics can have access to some of this information.”

           I have no doubts whatsoever about the ability and integrity of Jennifer Wild. I have no doubts about any of the facts she uncovered in her detailed and objective investigation. I have serious questions about Marie McGrath’s motives for doing everything in her power to prevent legitimate questions being asked about Michael McGrath’s death in Botswana. 
          I have questions about Marie McGrath and her close relationship with her ‘uncle’ Michael O’Keeffe. I will have those questions asked and answered in their appropriate time.

On the 22nd February 2011, I wrote this letter to the President of Botswana:

Dear Mr President,
                             In August 2010 I sent you a petition, requesting that you re-open the investigation into my brother Michael McGrath’s death in Palapye on the night of the 12th December 2006.
( The petition read,  To his Excellency, Ian Khama, President of Botswana;
  We are addressing this letter directly to you Mr President because the dossier establishing the murder of Michael McGrath on the night of the 12th December 2006 at Palapye Primary Hospital, which were furnished to your Minister for Justice, Defence and Security on the 19th August 2009 has elicited no response.  These files were handed over to Mr Ross Sanoto, Director, Department of Justice, Defense and Security on behalf of the Irish Government by the Irish Ambassador.
A Botswana citizen, medical doctor Shathani Mugoma is clearly identified as being directly implicated in the murder of Michael McGrath.
We would respectfully request you to deal with this case now honestly and expeditiously  as the good name of your country is at stake.
Advocate of the South African High Court, Jennifer Wild who headed the investigation into the death of Michael McGrath, with the assistance of experienced investigators, has requested a meeting with your Ministers for Justice, Foreign Affairs and your Police Commissioner in order for the appropriate authorities to re-open the investigation into Michael McGrath’s death and to take apposite steps against Dr Mugoma and his accomplice.  So far they have not granted this meeting. This letter is signed by relatives and friends of the late Michael McGrath.)

         On the 19th August2009, the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs transmitted to Mr Ross Sanoto a copy of two Interim Reports, which prove that Michael McGrath was murdered in your country. I have met with a number of Botswana citizens who informed me that you are an honourable man. I have made several phone calls to your Private Secretary S.Q.Madisa, unfortunately she was unable to answer any of my questions.  

         I am writing to ask you what are you going to do to get justice for my brother who was murdered by some of your fellow countrymen. We know the identity of one of the killers,- Dr. Shathani Mugoma. We know the identity of other people involved in Michael McGrath’s death.
         I was informed by the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs that the Police Commissioner forwarded his report to your office in mid December 2010.  I am asking you what is being done to bring those responsible for my brother’s death to justice.

                 Yours faithfully,
                                       Tom McGrath

On the 5th March 2011 Cllr. Frank O’Flynn forwarded this letter from the office of the Minister for Foreign Affairs to me.

25th February 2011

Our Ref: CON0101450

Dear Cllr.Flynn,
         On behalf of An Taoiseach and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Brian Cowen T.D., I wish to refer to your letter of 30th November 2010 on behalf of Mr. Tom McGrath in relation to the reopening of an investigation in the death of his brother Michael in Botswana in 2006.

I can now confirm that the report on the review of the investigation by the Botswana authorities into Mr Michael McGrath’s death has been forwarded to Mr Tom McGrath.
  Yours sincerely,
             Aidan Cronin
            Private Secretary

I can confirm that the Taoiseach was incorrect in his assumption that I had received this Botswana report on the 25th February 2011.  Where ever it was parked, I did not get this report until the 1st March 2011.

This is the ‘report’ from the Botswana
 Ministry of Defence, Justice and Security,
Private Bag 00384
Gaborone

Ref: DJ ( C ) 7/16/11 (6)                                    26th January 2011
H.E. Barney O’Reilly,
Honorary Consul of Ireland,
Breffni House, Plot 88,
Gaborone International Commerce Park,
P.O. Box 20233,
Bontleng, Gaborone.

Your Excellency,
  
               Re: Michael McGrath’s Case

1)   This serves to inform your esteemed Office that the report submitted to the Government of Botswana regarding the death of an Irish citizen; Mr Michael McGrath (52) was studied and considered by our specialised institutions to a point where an informed decision has been reached.  The delay in responding to the issues raised is attributable to the intense investigations that we have undertaken. We in any case apologise for our belated response.

2.    The Police conducted an investigation in the normal manner to ascertain the cause of Mr. McGrath’s death.  It is revealed that Mr. McGrath ejected himself from a car seat travelling at about 60km/hr thereby sustaining serious body and head injuries near Radisele village. He was transported to Palapye Primary Hospital for medical attention. Since he had displayed some suicidal traits, he was kept under guard while at the hospital.

3.	It is understood that Mr. McGrath sought permission to go to the toilet at around 0500 hrs. He stayed longer than expected in the toilet and when officers broke the door to gain entry, they found him lying in a pool of blood.  t was later found that he died of losing blood after he had cut himself with a sharp instrument on the right side of his neck.
(Note, In an email from Ambassador Frank Sheridan on the 31st December 2006, I quote; “Assistant Superintendent Ngwato reports that in the early hours of the next morning, Wednesday 13th  December, your brother went into a toilet beside his room. There were renovation works going on in the hospital and some windows were being replaced with louvered glass. Your brother took a length of the glass, which was apparently under a washbasin, broke it and used the broken piece to inflict a serious injury to the right side of  his neck. Around this time it was noticed that he was missing and a search was underway. The Assistant Superintendent himself verifies this because he was on duty and called the hospital to check on your brother’s condition. It was discovered that Michael was locked in a toilet which was quickly opened with a coin. Your brother was found dead inside in a pool of blood. How does this match up with the new thorough investigation of the Botswana Ministry of Justice who had officers brake the door down?

4.	Upon conclusion of the investigations, the Police had established the cause of Mr. McGrath’s death as self inflicted cuts that let out bouts of blood. The case was as a result closed.

5.	Three years after the McGrath’s death, a group of Irish people going by the name “The Friends of Michael McGrath” submitted an Interim Investigation Report into the Death of Michael McGrath. Following that submission on the death of Mr. McGrath, Government of Botswana revisited the matter by instructing the Police to open further enquiries on the matter.

6.	The Police subsequently made a report and our findings are as follows:

I                  Cause of Death of Michael McGrath

Our investigations have proved that Michael McGrath committed suicide by self inflicting a cut wound on the right side of the neck severing the jugular vein.  This a finding made by our local forensic pathologist and the one in Ireland.

(Note, this is a deliberate distortion of the findings of  the Irish Pathologist , Dr M.A.Bolster who told the inquest in Mallow on Wednesday 30th May 2007 that she “could not rule out” the possibility of a third party being involved in the death.)

The report by Advocate Wild raises the issue that we did not recover the glass shard which the deceased is believed to have used to inflict the fatal wound on himself. We admit this deficiency in our investigation, but it does not at all weaken our conviction/findings on the evidence that the deceased committed suicide.
(In her 2007 investigation, Jennifer Wild and her team showed that no window renovations had taken place in years at Palapye Primary Hospital. So the imaginary louvered glass never existed and that is why none was recovered or photographed at the scene of Michael McGrath’s murder. Furthermore, Michael’s hand in death is behind his pole in an effort to cushion his head when falling backwards after the killer had cut his throat).

(Note: Dr. Kasongo, who was called to the scene to certify death by the Police denies that any object, with which Michael McGrath could have committed suicide, was present in that toilet. No object was retrieved by the Police.  Accordingly Dr. Kasongo in ascertaining a cause of death was told by the Police that Michael McGrath had cut his throat with a piece of glass. How the Police arrived at this conclusion is completely speculative.  They never retrieved a piece of glass, they never photographed a piece of glass and the hand with which Michael McGrath would have held that piece of glass was hooked behind his head to shield his head from the floor.)

ii                     Deceased Travel and Entry into Botswana

Although this is really a coincidental issue, there is ample proof that Michael McGrath entered into Botswana in the company of Dr. Mugoma and his then girlfriend Gorata Ogotseng.  A copy of the arrivals register retrieved from the Tlokweng Border Post clearly shows that Michael McGrath was at the border at 20.05 hrs driving a Nissan Almera bearing the registration number TMJ 615 GP blue in colour and that the vehicle was conveying three persons including the driver.
(This is a total lie as the South African border records clearly show that Michael McGrath travelled alone in his hire car, that Dr. Shathani Mugoma was travelling in a different vehicle and that Goreta Ogotseng was not present at all).

This corroborates the statements of Dr. Mugoma and his girlfriend. All other issues raised by Advocate Wild are inconsequential. The suggestion that Dr. Mugoma was travelling in a different vehicle bearing registration number B 730 AJG demonstrates the poor investigative skills of Adv. Wild and her team. This is a bus belong to Seabelo Express.

 (Note: The South African border records at Kopfontein clearly show that Michael McGrath left South Africa at 19.44 on the 9th December 2006 in vehicle registration number TMJ 615 GP, he was travelling alone. Mysteriously, just like the disappearing glass piece at Palapye Hospital, when he arrived at the Tlokweng Border Post in Botswana at 20:05 the vehicle was carrying three persons including the driver????
The South African border Records also show that on the 11th February 2007, Shathani Mugoma arrived in Johannesburg Airport from Ireland and left again on the same day?  This was just days before he gave his statement to the Irish Gardai. What was so important that he travelled all that distance and back again on the same day, just so he could meet someone and discuss details without telephone records?


iii       Accommodation Arrangements

Documentary proof has been recovered confirming that Michael McGrath lodged at Met Court Inn on arrival in Botswana and on the next day deceased and his party lodged at Mabogo Guest House in Serowe. There is also a reservation/registration form showing that the same party booked two rooms at Chithawa Lodge on the 11th December 2006. This clearly confirms the ‘story’ given by Dr. Mugoma and his then girlfriend.  The parties are now husband and wife.

(Note: when Jennifer Wild and her team visited these locations in June 2007, there was no record of Michael having stayed in any of these places but staff at one Inn clearly remembered him making an enquiry but confirmed that he did not stay. The contention by this report that he stayed in these hotels is utter lies and fabrication).

Iv                   The Road Accident

There is no doubt at all that the deceased at one point threw himself out of the vehicle. He was suicidal and this is confirmed by the police officers who received him at Palapye Police Station and the nurse who admitted him to the ward. The deceased even confirmed his desire to take his life whilst having a conversation with one of the police officers who were guarding him at the hospital.

(Note:  In Dr. Shathani’s own statement to Gardai D. Ryan and James Fitzpatrick on 23rd March 2007 “The (prison) van had to call to the police station Palapye to get a form to take Michael to hospital. They left with Michael for the hospital then. Me and my wife had to stay at the police station to write what happened. Around 9.00pm we went to the hospital. Clearly from Dr. Shathani’s own statement Michael McGrath was never taken into Palapye police station. Also Dr. Kasongo confirmed that Dr. Shathani was at Palapye Primary Hospital when he was admitting Michael McGrath to hospital at 8.10pm. Dr. Shathani is an amazing man, he could be at Palapye Police Station and Palapye Primary Hospital at the same time.) 

           The absurdity of the Botswana police investigation defies all logic. There are so many inconsistencies in all these ‘witness’ statements that anyone of reasonable intelligence would reject them. There are so many absurdities in this ‘report’ that I have given up on it. It was no coincidence that this report was released two weeks after the DPP gave his judgement that Dr. Shathani Mugoma did not commit perjury.  They knew that the Irish authorities wanted this case shut down permanently. It is strange that the Irish governments of Fianna Fail/Greens, Fianna Gael/Labour, The Botswana Police, The Irish Gardai and Marie McGrath are all so anxious that this case should never surface.  They have used their influence and power to ensure that no newspaper, radio or TV station will report on the case. 
         As Kevin McDonald told me four years ago “they have done a hatchet job on you, no media will report anything about the case again!” That there could be such uniform silence, such uniform ability to close down a case as clear cut as this, requires a central power. The only secret power that has this much influence across so many borders are the Illuminati. Only people who answer to satan will cover-up for murder.
         Only people who are members of the Illuminati would transfer the debts of the richest people in Ireland onto the poor and the unborn. We live in perilous times; what is being done, is being done surreptitiously. If you want to know what is coming next, read about the visitations of Mary to Garabandal in the 1960’s and to Fatima in 1917 and to Garabandal in the 1960’s. Those who work in darkness have only a limited time to reach their goals. They will destroy anyone who stands in their way. I expect a fierce reaction from those I have exposed.
         I only asked for truth and justice.  All I got were lies and deceit at every level. This book is the work of a simple man, no professional but it is my honest analysis of everything that has happened here and the great danger that faces the world by the widening gap between the poor and the rich.  This has been facilitated by globalisation and secularism; this sets the world up for One World Government, One World Digital Currency and One World Religion.
         Saint Paul wrote in his First Epistle to Timothy (4:1-2): “ Now the Spirit explicitly says that in the last times some will turn away from the faith by paying attention to deceitful spirits and demonic instructions through the hypocrisy of liars with branded consciences.” In Tim. (3:1-5):  “But understand this: there will be terrifying times in the last days. People will be self-centered and lovers of money, proud, haughty, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, irreligious, callous, implacable, slanderous, licentious, brutal, hating what is good, traitors, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, as they make a pretense of religion but deny its power.” 
  

Chapter 28 False Progress

                                      
They overlooked other text messages to Michael’s mobile phone from a very close friend and associate of Dr. Shathani going by the name of Homere. Patricia had met this man once when Michael was collecting the rent. He was supposed to be an engineering student from Zaire, but Patricia described him as a very unlikely looking student in his late 20’s. She said she sensed “there was something dangerous about him," that Shatani had "introduced him to Michael ‘as a good friend’?" 
His mobile number appeared at the top of the text message it was; 086-3982502 it was sent on the 6th of December 2006 at 13.12 exactly.
          It read  ‘I was driving when u call me. I have the rent. How to give to u. Text me ur name and bank. I can put the money into.
Homere'

            Patricia said Michael told her Homere owed several months rent. He was a close friend of Dr. Shathani and would have known that Michael was in transit to Botswana. Take a look back at the time of the message, another coincidence 13/12 the official date of Michael’s death. This student was driving a car, yet could not pay his rent for months and suddenly wants to pay and sends the message at exactly the time 13/12 which corresponds with the given date of Michael’s death.
                In the last twenty five years there has been a blurring of right and wrong. Many people do not believe in forces of good or evil, no God and no satan. It has become acceptable to do wrong; if the end result is greater wealth for the individual, at the expense of the lives of others.  Some people might call it sharp practice, hit the suckers or the weak. These people think nothing of destroying the lives of anyone in their path.  
      

           The European and Local elections of 5th June 2009 gave me an opportunity to achieve a number of things in one go.
(a)	 I could visit a lot of neighbours and show them the proof that Michael was murdered.
(b)	 I could tell them of the direct involvement of a Garda supplied solicitor who advised Michael to admit guilt  for a crime that never happened.
(c)	 It let all those involved know I was getting closer to bringing them to account.

          As I travelled about, going from house to house. I was struck by how insulated most lives are from the cruel world out there. They have a set routine, day after day, week in week out, year after year. They rarely venture from their safe environment and are not really affected by either a bubble or a recession. Such people are unaware of corruption, major changes, sell-outs and wholesale bribery and a discreet form of genocide and ethnic cleansing against the Irish nation; which started with Charlie Haughey selling passports to rich Arabs in the 1980s and progressed to large scale, multi million deposits to our leaders Swiss bank accounts in return for unrestricted immigration from Africa and the middle east. With most doctors positions in the health service going to African and Middle Eastern interns, who are then given extended contracts, on the pretext of training them for a return to their own country. Something that rarely happens, but it undermines the health service and costs the tax payers dearly by the reluctance of many of these people to do any work. If you question the work ethic or the ability of these people, you are immediately attacked by the politically correct brigade, who are rich enough not to care what happens to the misfortunate Irish people who have to endure this appalling treatment. 
             I have seen at first hand, when my father was a patient in 1993, the abhorrent cruelty with which he was treated by two of these so called doctors. They were sadistic in their treatment of an old man and their treatment was directly responsible for the gangrene,  which killed him in a matter of weeks. But that is what the government of Ireland want, a silent form of euthanasia so that only the rich will survive if they get ill.
              In 2009, I followed my mother to hospital to see what was being done for her.  I stayed with her in A and E, until she was given a hospital bed which took 9 hours. The nurse told me I should speak with the doctors in A and E. There were 3 African doctors on duty. I tried to speak to them and they kept their backs turned to me and totally ignored me. For forty minutes they were huddled over some chart. They neither looked at me or at any patient. They then had a two minute conversation with a nurse and departed in single file to reappear 35 minutes later. Again they gathered around this chart, I tried to speak with them and they again just ignored me. In three hours I spent observing them, they did not examine or treat a single patient. Meanwhile the nurses were doing all the work, medical and physical.  
               In reality has anyone ever looked at the actual work done by these doctors? And I do not mean signing their name to the work done by the nurses. If we are so short of doctors, why have the Irish Government a tiny quota of medical study places in our universities for young Irish students. In practice it is a form of racism against their own people, which is now bringing the health system into chaos.
              When I was sixteen years old I had reason to be operated on by a brilliant consultant who ran the surgery in the hospital. He did eye, ear, nose, throat, appendix, tonsils, broken bones, just about all conditions except heart transplants. Now there are specialised consultants for every condition. There are now at least 25 consultants employed to do the work this man did alone and it is replicated in every hospital. 
I would defy anyone to say we have a better health service now than we had in the sixties and seventies. And there was no waiting on trollies then either, nor were there 12 hour waits in A and E, it was really bad if you had to wait more that one hour. That was when the Health Service was fully staffed by Irish Doctors and Nurses and neither were there thousands of clerical staff and managers soaking up money needed to staff a proper health service with enough nurses who do the real work. 

What has happened to the management and accountability of our health services and our government? The management is now so remote it may as well be on another planet and by creating the HSE the political masters absolved themselves of all responsibility for any and everything. 
Watch the same thing happening with ‘Irish Water’. When you have a problem with them, no one will be responsible but you can be certain that the directors will be paid millions plus expenses. Another quango stuffed with important Fianna Gaelers and staunch Labour supporters for which you will pay. 

Chapter 29 Getting nowhere

“This means that the media is no longer the guardian of democracy but a tool for totalitarianism where constantly sidetracked by new issues and the original agenda is completed in darkness.”

Thomas Mc Grath

                               
“Hello Catherine, nice to see the sun after so long.” 
“Hello Tom, how are you? Any news on ‘the case’?” 
“Yes, we are making progress."
“That is good news indeed”, said Catherine. 
I said” if there is no progress this year, I will deal with him myself.” 
“You cannot do that, Tom, if you did that you would be no better than him”, replied Catherine.  
“Catherine, I stood behind in the court and looked into the eyes of Mike’s killer. I stared deep into his black soul. He showed no remorse and I had to sit and listen to him tell lie after lie as he attempted to destroy the legacy of my brother’s life. It was not enough to kill him, he wanted to kill his memory as well. He enjoyed torturing us with his lies. I cannot let him get away with murdering my brother nor will I allow him get away with it.”
“I understand, I will pray that you will be successful in getting justice” said Catherine.
“I am pretty sure, there is massive corruption in the Mitchelstown Gardai, going all the way up to the minister for Justice,” I said.
“You are probably right. I have heard from many people that the Mitchelstown Gardai are corrupt.”
“Thank you Catherine. I am writing a book about the whole case. I have encountered so much lies and deceit, that I have to question everything I believed in!”

             Finally in 2010, I found out that Jackie Selebi, former President of Interpol worldwide and Former National Police chief for South Africa was tried and convicted of bribery and corruption. He received a 12 year jail sentence.  In my wildest imagination, I could never see a high ranking Irish Garda, Bank Director or Developer getting any charge or conviction for anything, much less a 12 year jail sentence!!!

I met Michael Ahern T.D. in early January 2010 and told him, “I could not understand why the evidence I had passed on to the Gardai and the Ministers were being totally dismissed by them.” 
He made further representations to the Minister for Foreign Affairs on my behalf and these too were ignored.
Every night before I went to sleep, I reviewed everything I had done to try and bring those involved in Michael’s murder to justice. I had come to believe that there must be something fundamental to the case that I had over looked. That there must be something I could do to move the case forward. 
    Why were the people who were in a position to ensure that justice was seen to be done, so reluctant to do anything about it? 

On the 4th of April 2011 , I sent this letter by registered post to the Office of the President of Botswana.

S.Q.Madisa,
The President’s Private Office,
 Private Box 001,
Gabarone,
Botswana.
Dear Madam Madisa,

             I am Thomas McGrath brother of deceased Michael McGrath, who died violently in your country on the night of 12th December 2006. I have met a number of citizens from Botswana since my brother died. They have assured me that their President is a man of honour. As you are the President’s Private Secretary, I assume you do not wish to have his reputation mired by this poorly put together fabrication presented by Mr. Ross Sanoto. Whoever produced this report is guilty of treason against his President and his country as it is clearly a fabrication,  based on the factual information available from both Ireland and Botswana. I am giving you a last opportunity to withdraw this false “review” and to swiftly carry out a proper investigation into the death of Michael McGrath. If you cannot find an honest policeman in Botswana to carry out this investigation, then I respectfully suggest you ask The Republic of South Africa to provide a senior policeman to carry out this investigation forthwith.

           If such action is not taken by the end of April 2011, then we will take action to see that your President gets full credit for the cover-up of the murder of an Irish citizen in your country. I am sure your President does not want his name associated so closely to monstrous lies involving murder. This case is not going away and will not be brushed under any convenient carpet, too much freedom has been given to my Brother’s killers already.  I am not going to continue this correspondence indefinitely. I have been very patient but this is my last appeal to you for justice.

Yours sincerely,
                  Thomas McGrath

On the 6th April 2011, I received this letter from The Taoiseach, Enda Kenny.
 
Dear Mr McGrath,
       The Taoiseach, Mr Enda Kenny T.D. has asked me to refer to your recent letter.

The Taoiseach has carefully noted the issues you have raised.

He has however forwarded your correspondence to his colleague Eamonn Gilmore T.D., Taniste and Minister for Foreign Affairs who has responsibility for this area, for his consideration.

The Taoiseach has asked me to pass on his best wishes to you.

Yours sincerely,
             David King
Assistant Private Secretary to the Taoiseach.



On the 27th April 2011, I received this reply from Eamonn Gilmore T.D.

Our Ref: CON0110132

Dear Mr. McGrath,
  On behalf of the Taniste and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Eamonn Gilmore T.D., I wish to reply to your letter of 2nd April to An Taoiseach, Mr Ends Kenny T.D., which was passed to this office for attention.

I am informed that the report on the re-examination undertaken by the Botawana authorities into your brother’s death has been forwarded to you.

I would suggest that if you are dissatisfied with the outcome of that examination you may wish to engage the services of a lawyer in Ireland and Botswana to advise you on the options now open to you to pursue the case further.
 Yours sincerely,
   Mary Connery
   Private Secretary

As the above two Government leaders were well aware, I had already employed an eminent South African lawyer who procured compelling evidence.
1.	Issues exposed in our investigations and set out in the first and second written reports herein support the demand for full and detailed investigations to be conducted by senior and competent law enforcement officers from Ireland and Botswana into the death of Michael McGrath.
2.	There is sufficient material now compiled to compel and require formal and thorough enquiries into the death of Michael McGrath by the Justice officials of both Ireland and Botswana.

             Nothing has changed about how Michael McGrath met his death in Botswana on the 13th December 2006.  
Jennifer Wild has informed me that unless Michael’s case was taken up at government level by the Irish government, the Botswana authorities would stick to their original findings. This is exactly what has happened!!!
            Mr. Ross Sanoto, Botswana Minister for Justice is either stupid or a Satanist to have put his name to the ‘pretend’ review of evidence into the death of Michael McGrath.
            President of Botswana Ian Khama or his secretary S.Q.Madisa cannot have read the Reports from Jennifer Wild and the Botswana Police evidence and still accepted ‘The review as presented by Mr Ross Sanoto; unless he is stupid or under the power of the illuminati. No rational human being could accept that a man has committed suicide by cutting his throat when no weapon of any kind was recovered by either the medical staff or the police at the scene. Only an Approved murder could get this response.
             Looking at the response of the Irish governments the above statement of fact is even more important in naming our disgraced and disgraceful politicians.
 As first Michael Martin T.D.,
 next Brian Cowen T.D while Taoiseach, refused to demand the death of Michael McGrath be properly investigated.
 Dermot Ahern T.D. , refused to order an investigation of the Gardai involved from Mitchelstown, Fermoy and Mallow despite the fact that he was supplied with factual information.
 They have been followed by Enda Kenny T.D and
 Eamonn Gilmore who likewise refuse to look for justice for an Irish citizen, who suffered an appalling death at the hands of individuals in Botswana.

              I had sought help from Sean Sherlock T.D at the very beginning. 
He refused point blank to help, when I asked him why? 
He said “ I don’t have to give a reason!” I had also sought the help of Senator Ivana Bacik, she did nothing even though she had contacts at every level of government all the way up to the President of Botswana.
I had previously sought help from:
Tom Hayes T.D., Charlie Flanagan T.D and Alan Shatter T.D., they have done nothing to help. 
When I confronted Tom Hayes about his and Fianna Gael’s refusal to help he just stared blankly at me in silence. 
I told him, “I had believed that Fianna Gael stood for honesty and integrity but now I had discovered they stood for nothing.” 
I have not spoken with him since as each day this government have proved that they are worse than Fianna Fail and I thought that would have been impossible!
            I have since learned that there is a connection between Charlie Flanagan and Superintendent Flor Horan, who lied to us at the very beginning in Fermoy Garda Station, when he tried to persuade me that he was certain that Michael had committed suicide. When I was not prepared to accept the suicide line he tried to convince me that Michael was a paedophile! 
           I found proof on the 11th June 2007 that this was a lie; that when superintendent Flor Horan sent a file to the DPP to have Michael McGrath prosecuted for molesting his beloved daughter, he already knew he was attempting to prosecute an innocent man for a crime that never happened.
            When Detective Jim Fitzpatrick and Garda D. Ryan were telling people around Mitchelstown and further afield that Michael McGrath was a paedophile, they knew he was an innocent man.
            When Sergeant Tony O’Sullivan pretended to be sympathetic to my distress over my brother’s death, he was using it to draw what information I had so he could pass it on to Dr. Shathani, there was no other way Mugoma could have so comprehensively turned all the information I had passed on to Sergeant Sullivan, inside out.  Sergeant Tony O’Sullivan was promoted to inspector a few weeks after the Coroner’s Court.

         When I attended Mallow Garda station to meet Sergeant Paul Reidy and Inspector Senan Ryan to discuss Dr. Shathani Mugoma’s perjury, they were shocked at the information I placed in front of them. They asked me to leave it with them and return a week later. When I returned the following week, Sergeant Reidy insisted there would be no investigation into Mugoma’s perjury unless I withdrew my statement implicating their Fermoy Area colleagues in perjury and lies. It should have been no great surprise when the file he sent to the DPP, cleared Dr. Shathani of perjury because a case against him would have resulted in a case against their colleagues. It is of course just a coincidence that sergeant Paul Reidy was promoted to Inspector just a few weeks after the DPP said Dr. Shathani did not commit perjury.
There is one other thing I omitted: when I gave Michael Ahern TD a copy of Jennifer Wilds 2nd Interim Report, he said
 “ I will bring this report to cabinet, they will have to act now!” 
The taoiseach did, a few days later there was a cabinet reshuffle and Michael Ahern was sent to the back benches!
Just another coincidence.   

It is beyond belief all the strange ‘coincidences’ that are thrown up in this case from beginning to very end. I am left with a very obvious conclusion, that any Garda (policeman) will only get promoted if they protect their colleagues at any cost, even murder.

What about our senior politicians? How many of them or their business friends have shares in the diamond mines and oil wells of Botswana? How many of them own property out there? Or is the handling of the case of  the murder of Michael McGrath in Botswana now; such a grave scandal that the Gardai and political parties cannot survive if the full truth emerges of their involvement in cover up and lies.

When I see our political masters in Fianna Fail, Fianna Gael and Labour, all agree to transfer the debts of the richest people this country has ever known and force them on to the poor and the unborn, then I am forced to reflect again on, Pawns in the Game.  It is the only explanation that fits everything from the closing of the Vatican embassy; the removal of Catholic teaching from schools, the enormous deceit of our politicians;  the murder of an unimportant Irishman in Botswana, Michael Marion McGrath by Shathani (Son of Satan)Mugoma has been Approved by Gardai and Political Leaders, of Fianna Fail, Fianna Gael and Labour by their actions and by their sin of omission.  

All I can do now is pray to my God that this book I was sent back from the gates of eternity to write will bring many souls back to God. I will continue to pray for Michael’s children, Brid, Michael, Diarmuid and Lilian and I already forgive them. They were brain washed by their mother from their earliest age to hate and despise the McGrath family. When they have experience of life and reflect on their father, Michael McGrath, they will finally realise he was not the demon their mother and her daughter Marie had convinced them he was. 
             Marie McGrath and her mother Margaret Lynch are a very different proposition, they are fully responsible for everything they have done and Marie’s opposition to any investigation of Michael McGrath’s death is proof that she has something sinister to hide.


I have tried to keep my promise to Tom from Teagasc to pray for all those involved in Michael McGrath’s murder. I must admit that I have found that a very difficult promise to keep. Every time I begin my prayer; naming the people involved, a dark mist descends over my brain and I find it impossible to concentrate on my prayers. But I have prayed for them, though as a Christian I am not sure that I have done so often enough or with my whole heart. Perhaps that is why I have been unsuccessful in my quest for justice; but every time I try I can only think of the betrayal by those involved. I should think of the betrayal of Jesus at the time of his passion and he asked God “to forgive them, for they know not what they do”. 
        But as one of the text messages, said “who wrote that another saint”. 

Well as anyone who knows me can verify; I am no saint. I am quick to anger and slow to forgive, but as long as I live I will try my best to keep my promise to pray for all those who played any role in Michael McGrath’s murder, however inadequate my attempts or prayers may be. As long as I live, I will continue my quest for justice for my brother Michael McGrath, whose muti murder in Botswana began on the night of 12th December and was completed at 4.45am in the early hours of 13th December 2006, by an expert single clean cut across the carotid artery.

        All the evidence we hold will only be released in a Final Report to an agreed International Investigation Team, because as I have seen clearly demonstrated, we cannot get an honest investigation from the governments and the police of both Botswana and Ireland. I acknowledge that there are many decent human beings in the lower ranks of the Gardai but I will be amazed if I ever find one of them has risen above the rank and file, much less in the rank of Sergeant or above!

Chapter 30 My Conclusions

                                                      

            This story is based on the facts surrounding the death of my brother, Michael McGrath, who was invited to his death in Botswana in a malevolently planned murder over the period 12/13th December, 2006. He was separated from his wife; who on the day she left the family home, tried to have him committed to a secure mental asylum and had detailed plans in her diary of how to get power of attorney over his five million euro property empire, in a carefully planned move with her late sisters husband, alias ‘friend’ and a daughter, Marie. From the time they left the family home, he was bombarded with silent phone calls throughout the night, sometimes accompanied by mock laughing. They wanted to break his sleep so that he would be mentally unable to stand up to their twisted plans.

            The second effort was to accuse Michael in a court ambush, of being abusive to her and the children; this was proved to be totally untrue by Judge Patwell. The judge questioned her at length about the alleged abuse and at the end of the questioning the biggest crime she could level against Michael was that, “when he drinks wine, he would wrinkle up his face!”  

             The next effort to destroy Michael, came  with more elaborate and detailed planning. Marie, coached her disabled younger sister to claim Michael had sexually assaulted her. This move was very carefully planned and with the help of the local Gardai, it was made on the day before a long bank holiday weekend. The result was that Michael was arrested at 6.45am on the Saturday morning of the May bank holiday 2006. After grilling him for 3 hours and giving vivid descriptions of all sorts of brutal incestuous acts on his beloved daughter, Michael eventually started crying. They thought they had broken him and asked Michael if he wanted a lawyer. The beauty of this timing was that Michael could not access his own lawyer and the police had their own man on standby. This ‘lawyer’ advised Michael, to plead guilty after he had been questioned mercilessly for several hours on the morning of the 5th May, 2006. This solicitor was in collusion with the local police who were determined to put Michael away. The child welfare protection agency became involved and the child was examined extensively by the best; clinical psychologist and an experienced child doctor,  who could find no evidence of the child, having ever been abused by anybody. 

               By the end of May it became apparent that plot number three had failed. So a final solution was arrived at, with the connivance of the greedy Dr. Shahtani Mugoma. First Michael was invited to the graduation ceremony of Dr. Shathani at University College Cork, where he was told that he was the first person to be invited to Mugoma’s wedding in Botswana. In this most calculated and elaborate plot he was invited to a ‘wedding’ in Botswana, in mid-December. The wedding was that of the duplicitous Dr. Shathani, who for over two years had betrayed every confidence Michael had told him and carried the information to his estranged family. He was murdered for his five million euros estate. The avaricious and highly superstitious doctor used the opportunity of Michael's murder, in what he believed was the ability to empower himself with the gift of generating enormous wealth; in a desperately cruel muti murder. Those who stood to gain by his death were his estranged wife, Margaret Lynch and through her the ‘brother-in-law’ Michael O’Keeffe, (husband of her late sister Siobhan who died in 2003 of cancer), and a daughter Marie a pharmacist. It follows the carefully orchestrated attacks on Michael’s integrity over a period of two and a half years. It carefully unveils the corrupt policemen continents apart but joined at the nave by greed. It exposes the people involved and the various roles they played in the planning, the carrying out and the cover up of  the murder, it tells what really happened.  It follows the meticulous unravelling of the web of lies put together by the conspirators, murderers and the corrupt policemen in Botswana, Ireland and South Africa.

              It shows the honesty and humanity of the brilliant Jenny Wild and her team of investigators from South Africa, who step by step lay bare the lies and deceit of Dr. Shathani. Jennifer Wild is a barrister and worked with pathologists, who served on the Goldstone Commission in South Africa, she has also done work for Norwegian aid and Amnesty International. She has also been placed under the protection of Amnesty International and the United Nations after several attempts on her life. Contrast her investigation with the complicity of the police charged with investigating his death in the Fermoy Garda division and with the perjury of Shathani Mugoma. The deliberate lies told by two Superintendents, a Sergeant, a Detective and a Garda officer. The guard of honour and protection given to Dr. Shathani, Michael O’Keeffe, his sons, Margaret Lynch,  and Marie; by the policemen of Mitchelstown, with the full knowledge of the Superintendent of the division in Fermoy.  The underhand cooperation of the Mitchelstown police in Margaret Lynch McGrath’s two years of machiavellian stunts, to take all Michael’s property from him. Until finally having Michael murdered in Botswana and having his death covered up as suicide, witnessed by Dr. Shathani and his friends. 

             The inept Irish consul in Gaborone , in a hurry to get away on holidays, only too happy to rubber stamp the suicide story and the amazingly naïve Irish ambassador in Maputo equally trusting a known corrupt local police in Botswana! The Irish ambassador was also in a hurry to get away on holiday, the suspicious death of an unimportant Irish citizen did not delay his ‘well earned rest’. He handed the tiresome case over to the Second secretary, who by ludicrous coincidence was a friend of Marie McGrath. When a request was made to the DFA for assistance in getting hospital records, a member of the Irish Ambassador’s staff telephoned my investigator to say that "Tom was not next of kin; as Margaret Lynch McGrath was his wife and next of kin, that I had had no legal right to investigate Michael’s death and therefore had no right to any hospital records!” This was the same individual who facilitated the swift transfer of Michael McGrath’s estranged wife’s ‘Deed of Attorney’ to Dr. Shathani Mugoma on the 18th December, 2006. It was also the same individual who organised the Conference at The College of Surgeons in 2010, when two of the principal speakers were The Botswana Minister for Health (and Patron of Shathani Mugoma) and Senator Ivana Bacik. The same Labour Senator Bacik, whose only advise to me was ‘to consult the Department of Foreign Affairs’.  She must have had a good laugh when she was sending me such advice. This completes the web of intrigue, that had to be overcome .

To understand what the EU is about we need to look deeper at this organisation. It's symbols and what it has done. There are three buildings that comprise the headquarters of the European Union. They are three distinct buildings in three distinct locations. The Parliament's seat is in Strasbourg  where the one-week plenary sessions are held once per month. The new EU Parliament building in Strasbourg is modeled after the famous artwork of the 'Tower of Babel' by Peter Bruegal. The Tower of Babel refers to the defiance and the rebellion against the true God, yet accepting false gods, and a people uniting seeking world power. Among the artwork beside the EU Parliament in this sculpture of a naked woman riding a bull. This is just another coincidence, like all the others in my book. I ask you to read the bible, Revelation 17:3-5
       'Then the angel carried me away in the Spirit into the desert. There I saw a woman sitting on the scarlet beast that was covered in blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns. The woman had written on her forehead: Mystery Babylon the great, the mother of all prostitutes and of the abominations of the earth.' The ten horns symbolise the ten anti-commandments and the seven heads represent the seven deadly sins espoused by the Illuminati. There are 26,000 freemasons in Ireland, their headquarters adjoining the Dail..?
Most of these Freemasons are foot soldiers who are required to support other masons in distress and do a small amount of charity work. They believe all religions are equal. How many freemasons are aware that those who rise above the 33rd degree are flown to Turkey to swear on the Book of Zoroaster. Only those freemasons above the 33rd degree are admitted to the New and Reformed Palladian Rite, a secret society within a secret society. These are the the committed Illuminati, Luciferians who have worked their way into positions of power and control in politics, finance and media across the world. 
Ask yourself who flooded Portugal, Italy, Ireland and Spain and Greece with cheap money in the first seven years of the 21st century, then withdrew it overnight to all but the bankrupt the only remaining Christian countries in the EU. Their attack on Ireland was most severe, even when ECB interest rates were 2% they were charging us 6%, thereby profiteering from the problem they engineered in the first place. This is not a community of nations working together for the good of all. This is an organisation which is corrupt and deceitful.  It is no coincidence that the headquarters are modled on the Tower of Babylon. It pretends to protect Human Rights but it ferries 'asylum' seekers to travel across Germany, France, Holland and other countries with resources 100s of times the size of Ireland; a small island on the edge of Eurpoe, whose own young people have been driven out of their homeland by a slick campaign of no jobs, no money and no prospects. They have done the same to the young people of Spain, 60% of whom are currently unemployed. Could this possibly refer to the EU to which some of us have become so attached that we cannot question any of it's actions anymore?

Let's look at the record:
1. Since we joined the EU, our fishermen have been forced to implement a policy of dumping fish caught, which are not in quota, back into the sea. This has resulted over the years of millions of tons of good food being dumped back into the sea. Fish stocks have been decimated because of this insane policy and no one shouted stop. 
2. The ECB were fully aware of the property bubble takin place in Ireland under a regime of no regulation. This bubble was driven by a small group of developers and speculators charging ever higher prices for houses. Yet, they took no action to stop this mad greed. But when the bubble burst, they were very quick to move in and transfer these insurmountable debts onto the low paid Irish taxpayer and with the brilliance of Fianna Fail/ Fine Geal/ Labour have transferred billions if euro private debt onto our children and the unborn. 

The antichrist is the reduction of Christianity to an ideology, instead of a personal encounter with teh Saviour, says Cardinal Biffi. The cardinal explained that Christianity cannot be reduced to a set of values. At the center of being a Christian is, in fact, the personal encounter with 'Jesus Christ.' The antichrist presents himself as a pacifist, ecologist and ecumenist. If these values become absolute, uprooting or even opposing the proclamation of the event of salvation, then those values become an instigation to idolatry and obstacles on the way to salvation.  

The case for leaving the EU could not be stronger. It will collapse because of it's own deceit and corruption within the near future. We need to get out and build a new future for the Irish people, based on the love of God and of our neighbour. Anything we have got from the EU is nly crumbs compared with what they have taken from us and plan to take. It is the Luciferian creed, might is right. 

Looking at the obstacles placed before me at every stage in my quest for truth and justice has forced me to question everything I believed in, the Government, the Gardai and even the very humanity of these people! It has caused me to search everywhere for a reason why police and political leaders on two separate continents should conspire to cover-up the ritualistic murder of an innocent Irish man in Botswana. 
It made no difference how many verifiable facts were put before them, all were dismissed as irrelevant. It made no difference how inconsistent the statements of Botswana's policeman Ngwato and Dr. Shathani Mugoma were! For example in Ambassador Frank Sheridan's email of the 1st of Janurary 2007 he infromed me of his conversation with Asssistant Superintendent Ngwato, quote "He became aware of the case when Dr. Shatani Mugoma and his fiancé Ms. Goreta Ogotseng appeared in the afternoon of the 12th of December, 2006 at the police station in Palapye." According to Assistant Superintendent Ngwato, " Dr. Shathani and his fiance left Palapye shortly afterwards that same afternoon." In Dr. Shathani's statement to Garda Denis Ryan and Detective Jim Fitzpatrick on the 23rd of May, 2007 he states "We left Michael at around 11pm. We went back to Gabarone by train." How could there be such gapping differences between the time Ngwato says Dr. Shathani left Palapye and the time Shathani himself says he left Palapye, unless the whole story is a fabrication and they cannot construct a coherent story because there isn't one. It is all one big lie. 

Dispite the factual evidence place before: Gardai Tony O'Sullivan, Denis Ryan, Jim Fitzpatrick, Paul Reidy and Senan Ryan, as well as politicians: Michael Martin, Dermot Ahern, Brian Cowen, Tom Hayes, Charlie Flanagan, Sean Sherlock, Ivana Bacik, Alan Shatter, Enda Kenny and Eamonn Gilmore; they disregarded everything. The same with president Ian Khama of Botswana who was given evidence of murder, his government sat on this evidence for a year until I sent our new petition requesting that he re-open the case using the National police. There was no new investigation, just a review of the existing police evidence which was full of lies and contradictions. The Botswana review consisted of adding more deceit to the existing lies. 
The only place I found an answer to my questions was when I read Pawns in the game. It not only explains why senior police and politicans in Ireland and Botswana covered up the murder of Michael Mc Grath but it also explained why the same Irish policians insisted on transferring the debts of the elite onto the poor and the workers in Ireland. It explains why the tax on people's homes and the water tax was imposed to pay bondholders in Germany, France, USA and some based here in Ireland. Ask the question, why bonds which changed hands at the time Fianna Gael/Labour came to power in Ireland; for 15% of their face value were paid in full by Enda Kenny's government despite having no mandate to do so! When asked who these bondholders were Enda Kenny said he did "not know". Ask yourself, why he did not need to know when you play your tax on your home and water supply? 

Pawns in the game was written by William Carr and was first printed in 1954. William Guy Carr (1895-1959) was a noted author who had a distinguished career as a Canadian naval commander, including outstanding service during World War 2.

Here is a TRUE story of international intrigue, corruption, graft and political assassinations, the like of which has never been written before.  It is the story of how different groups of atheistic-materialistic men have played in an international chess tournament to decide which group would win ultimate control of the wealth, natural resources and man-power of the entire world. It is explained how the game has reached the final stage. The international communists and the international capitalists, (both of whom have totalitarian ambitions) have temporarily joined hands to defeat Christian-democracy.
  All moves made by the International Conspirators are directed by Satan and while the situation is decidedly serious it is definitely not hopeless.  The solution is to end the game the International Conspirators have been playing right now before one or other totalitarian-minded group impose their ideas on the rest of mankind.  The story is sensational and shocking, but it is educational because it is the TRUTH.  The author offers practical solutions to problems so many people consider insoluble.  I will quote a few paragraphs from this book as it has explained a lot of things that I found incomprehensible.
             Quote : If what I reveal surprises and shocks the reader, please don’t develop an inferiority complex because I am frank to admit that although I have worked since 1911 trying to find out why the human race can’t live in peace and enjoy the bounties and blessings God provides for our use and benefit in such abundance, it was 1950 before I penetrated the secret that the wars and revolutions which scourge our lives, and the chaotic conditions that prevail, are nothing more or less than the effects of the continuing Luciferian conspiracy.
   It started in that part of the universe we call heaven when Lucifer challenged the right of God to exercise supreme authority.  The Holy Scriptures tell us how the Luciferian conspiracy was transferred to this world in the Garden of Eden. Until I realised that our struggle is not with flesh and blood, but with the spiritual forces of darkness who control all those in high places on this earth (Erh.6:12) the pieces of evidence gathered all over this world just didn’t fit together and make sense. (I am not ashamed to admit that the “Bible” provided the “Key” which enabled me to obtain an answer to the question quoted above.)
    Very few people seem able to appreciate that Lucifer is the brightest and most intelligent of the heavenly host and, because he is a pure spirit, he is indestructible.  The scriptures tell us his power is such that he caused one-third of the most intelligent of the heavenly host to defect from God, and join him, because he claimed God’s Plan for the rule of the universe is weak and impractical because it is based on the premise that lesser beings can be taught to know, love, and wish to serve him voluntarily out of respect for his own infinite perfections.  The Luciferian ideology states might is right.  It claims beings of proven superior intelligence have the right to rule those less gifted because the masses don’t know what is best for them. The Luciferian ideology is what we call totalitarianism today. Lest we forget there is a Capitalist form of totalitarianism as well as a Communist form.
       
                   Who does that describe in our society, in our parliament  and in our banks? Who does it describe in the EU?  Who does it describe in Wall street? Or the famous markets which are constantly being quoted? Remember the Luciferian doctrine that might is right, when you are analysing what is happening to you, your neighbours and your country!
     This article by William Guy Carr is so incisive and so important I have decided to quote the remaining five page summary of his work.
                                    Weishaupt and the Illuminati
      In 1784 an “Act of God” placed the Bavarian government in possession of eveidence which proved the existence of the continuing Luciferian Conspiracy. Adam Weishaupt, a Jesuit-trained professor of canon law, defected from Christianity, and embraced the Luciferian ideology while teaching in Ingoldstadt University.  In 1770 the money lenders (who had recently organised the House of Rothschild), retained him to revise and modernise the age-old ‘protocols’ designed to give the Synagogue of  Satan ultimate world domination so they can impose the Luciferian ideology upon what remains of the Human Race, after the final social cataclysm, by use of satanic despotism, Weishaupt completed his task May 1st, 1776.
     The plan required the destruction of ALL existing governments and religions. This objective was to be reached by dividing the masses into opposing camps in ever increasing numbers on political, racial, social, economic and other issues. The opposing sides were then to be armed and an ‘incident’ provided which would cause them to fight and weaken themselves as they destroyed national governments and religious institutions.
    In 1776 Weishaupt organised the illuminati to put the plot into execution. The word illuminati is derived from Lucifer, and means ‘holders of the light’. Using the lie that his objective was to bring about a one world government to enable men with proven mental ability to govern the world  he recruited about two thousand followers. These included the most intelligent men in the field of arts and letters, education, the sciences, finance, and industry. He then established the Lodges of the Grand Orient to be their secret headquarters.
       Because Britain and France were the two greatest powers at the end of the 18th century, Weishaupt ordered the Illuminati to forment the Colonial Wars to weaken the British Empire and organise the Great Revolution to weaken the French Empire.  The latter he scheduled should start in 1789. 
                                       The conspiracy is uncovered
     A German author named Zwack put Weishaupt’s revised version of the age-old conspiracy into book form and named it “Einige Original-Scripten.”  In 1784 a copy of this document was sent to the Illuminists,  Weishaupt,  had delegated to foment the French revolution.  The courier was struck dead by lightning as he rode through Ratisbon on his way from Frankfurt to Paris. The police found the subversive documents on his body and  turned them over to the proper government authorities.
      After careful study of the plot the Bavarian Government ordered the police to raid Weishaupt’s newly organised lodges of the Grand Orient and the homes of some of his most influential associates.  Additional evidence thus obtained convinced the authorities the documents were a genuine copy of a conspiracy by which the synagogue of Satan, who controlled the Illuminati at the top, planned to use wars and revolutions to bring about the establishment of one kind or another of a One World Government, the powers of which they intended to usurp as soon as it was established.
     In 1785, the Bavarian Government outlawed the Illuminati and closed the lodges of the Grand Orient.  In 1786, they published the details of the conspiracy.  The English title is “ The Original Writings of the Order and Sect of  The Illuminati”. Copies of the conspiracy were sent to the heads of church and state.  The power of the Illuminati  was so great that this warning was ignored, as were the warnings Christ had given the world.
    The Illuminati went underground.  Weishaupt instructed his Illuminists to infiltrate into the lodges of Blue Masonry and form a secret socity within secret societies.
        Only masons who proved themselves Internationalists, and those whose conduct proved they had defected from God, are initiated into the Illuminati.  Thus the conspirators used the cloak of philanthropy to hide their revolutionary and subversive activities.  In order to infiltrate into Masonic lodges in Britain Illuminists invited John Robinson over to Europe.  He was a high degree mason in the Scottish Rite: Professor of natural philosophy at Edinburgh University; and Secretary of  The Royal Society of Edinburgh.  John Robinson did not fall for the lie that the objective of the one worlders was to form a benevolent dictatorship.  He kept his reactions to himself however, and was entrusted with a copy of Weishaupt’s Revised Conspiracy for study and safe keeping.
     Because the heads of church and state in France  were advised to ignore the warnings given them, the revolution broke out in 1789.  In order to alert other governments to their danger, in 1798 John Robinson published a book, entitled “Proof of a Conspiracy to Destroy All Governments and Religions”.  But his warnings have been ignored, as were others. 
                                     The creation of Communism
    In 1829, the Illuminati held a meeting in New York which was addressed by a British Illuminist named Wright.  Those in attendance were informed that the Illuminati intended to unite the Nihilist and Athesist groups with all other subversive organizations into an international organization to be known as Communism.  This destructive force was to be used to enable the Illuminati to foment future wars and revolutions.  Clinton Roosevelt (a direct ancestor of F.D.R.), Horace Greeley, and Chas Dana were appointed to a committee to raise funds for this new venture.   The fund they raised financed Karl Marx and Engels when they wrote “Das Capital” and “The Communist Manifesto” in Soho, England.
         In 1830, Weishaupt died.  He carried the deception that the Illuminati was dead to his own death-bed where, to convince his spiritual advisors, he pretended to repent and rejoin the Church.
      According to Weishaupt’s revised version of the Age-Old conspiracy the Illuminati were to organise, finance, direct  and control ALL international organizations and groups by working their agentur into executive positions at the top.  Thus it was that while Karl Marx was writing the Communist Manifesto under the direction of one group of Illuminists,  Professor Karl Rotter of Frankfurt University was writing the antithesis under direction of another group, so that those who direct the conspiracy at the top could use the differences  in these two ideologies to start dividing larger and larger numbers of the human race into opposing camps so they could be armed and then made to fight and destroy each other, together with their political and religious institutions.
       The work Ritter started was continued by the German so-called philospher Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche (1844-1900) who founded Nietzscheism.  Nietzscheism was developed into Fascism and later into Naziism and used to enable the agentur of the Illuminati to foment World Wars One and Two.
                       In 1834, the Italian revolutionary leader Gussepi Mazzini was selected by the Illuminati to be director of their revolutionary programme  throughout the world.  He held this post until he died in 1872.
        In 1840, General Albert Pike was brought under the influnce of Mazzini because he became a disgruntled officer when U.S. President Jefferson Davis disbanded his auxiliary Indian troops on the grounds they had committed atrocities under the cloak of legitimate warfare.  Pike accepted the idea of a one world government and ultimately became head of the Luciferian Priesthood.  Between 1859 and 1871, he worked out the details of a military blue-print, for three world wars, and three major revolutions which he considered would further the conspiracy to its final stage during the twentieth century.
                                  The plan for Three World Wars
                  Most of his work was done in the 13 room mansion, he built in Little Rock, Arkansas, in 1840.  When the Illuminati, and the lodges of the Grand Orient, became suspect, because of Mazzini’s revolutionary activities in Europe, Pike organised the New and Reformed Palladian Rite.  He established three supreme councils;  one in Charleston, S.C., another in Rome, Italy and another in Berlin, Germany.  He had Mazzini establish twenty three subordinate councils in strategic locations throughout the world.  These have been the secret headquarters of the world revolutionary movement ever since.  Long before Marconi invented wireless (radio), the scientists who were of the Illuminati had made it possible for Pike and the Heads of his councils to communicate secretly.  It was the discovery of this secret that enabled intelligence officers to understand how apparently unrelated ‘incidents’ took place simultaneously throughout the world which aggravated a situation and developed into a war or revolution.
                       Pike’s plan was as simple as it has proved effective.  He required that Communism, Naziism, Political Zionism, and other International movements be organised and used to foment the Three global wars and three major revolutions.  The first world war was to be fought so as to enable the Illuminati to overthrow the powers of the Tzars in Russia and turn that country into the stronghold of Atheistic-Communism. The differences stirred up by agentur of the Illuminati between  the British and German Empires were to be used to foment this war.  After the war ended, Communism was to be built up and used to destroy other governments and weaken religions.
                      World  War Two was to be fomented by using the differences between Fascists and Political Zionists.  This war was to be faught so that Naziism would be destroyed and the power of Political Zionism increased so that the sovereign state of Isreal could be established in Palestine.  During world war two International Communism was to be built up until it equalled in strength that of united Christendom.  At this point it was to be contained and kept in check until required for the final social cataclysm.  Can any informed person deny Roosevelt and Churchill did not put this policy into effect?
                     World War Three is to be formented by using the differences the agentur of the Illuminati stir up between Political Zionists and the leaders of the Moslem world.  The war is to be  directed in such a manner that Islam (the Arab World including Mohammedanism) and Political Zionism (including the State of Isreal) will destroy themselves while at the same time the remaining nations, once more divided against each other on this issue, will be forced to fight themselves into a state of complete exhaustion physically, mentally, spiritually and economically.  Can any unbiased and reasoning person deny that the intrigue now going on in the Near, Middle, and the Far East isn’t designed to accomplish this devilish purpose?
                         On August 15, 1871, Pike told Mazzini that after World War Three is ended, those who aspire to undisputed world domination will provoke the greatest social cataclysm the world has ever known.    We quote his own written words (taken from the letter catalogued in the British Museum Library, London, England):
    “We shall unleash the Nihilists and Atheists, and we shall provoke a formidable social cataclysm which in all its horror will show clearly to the nations the effect of absolute atheism, origin of savagery and of the most bloody turmoil.  Then everywhere, the citizens, obliged to defend themselves against the world  minority of revolutionaries, will exterminate those destroyers of civilisation, and the multitude, disillusioned with Christianity, whose deistic spirits will be from that moment without compass (direction), anxious for the ideal, but without knowing where to render its adoration, will receive the true light through the universal manifestation of the pure doctrine of Lucifer brought finally out in the public view, a manifestation which will result from the general reactionary movement which will follow the destruction of Christianity and atheism, both conquered and exterminated at the same time.”
                       When Mazzini died in 1872, Pike made another Italian revolutionary leader, named Adriano Lemmi, his successor.  Lemmi was later succeeded by Lenin and Trotsky.  The revolutionary activities of all these men were financed by British, French, German and American international bankers.  The reader must remember that the International Bankers of today, like the Money-Changers of Christ’s day, are only tools or agents of the Illuminati.
                               Bankers finance wars and revolutions
   While the general public has been lead to believe that Communism is a movement of the workers to destroy Capitalism, Pawns In The Game proves that both British and American Intelligence Officers obtained authentic documentary evidence which proved that internationalist capitalists operating through their international banking houses had financed both sides in every war and revolution fought since 1776.
                There is plenty of documentary evidence to prove that Pike, like Weishaupt, was head of the Luciferian Priesthood in his day.  In addition to the letter he wrote Mazzini in 1871, another he wrote to the heads of his Palladian Councils July 14th, 1889 fell into hands other than intended.  It was written to explain the Luciferian dogma, concerning worship of Satan and worship of Lucifer.  In it, he said in part:
       “That which we say to the crowd is ‘we worship God’.  But it is the God that one worships without superstition.  The religion should be, by all us initiates of the high degrees, maintained in the purity of the Luciferian doctrine… Yes! Lucifer is God. And unfortunately Adonay(the name given by Luciferians to the God we worship) is God also…for the absolute can only exist as two Gods.  Thus, the doctrine of Satanism is a heresy: and the true, and pure philosophical religion is the belief in Lucifer, the equal of Adoney: but Lucifer, God of Light, and God of Good, is struggling for humanity against Adonay the God of Darkness and Evil.”
                 Propaganda put out by those who direct the Luciferian conspiracy has caused the general public to believe all who oppose Christianity are atheists.  This is a deliberate lie circulated to hide the secret plans of the High Priests of the Luciferian Creed who direct the Synagogue of Satan so that the human race still find it impossible to establish on this earth God’s plan for the rule of the universe, as he explained it to our first parents in the Garden of Eden, told in Genesis.  The High Priests of the Luciferian Creed work from darkness.  They remain behind the scenes.   They keep their identity and true purpose secret, even from the vast majority of those they deceive into doing their will and furthering their secret plans and ambitions.
                       In 1925 his Eminence Cardinal Caro y Rodriguez, Archbishop of Santiago, Chile, published a book “The Mystery of Freemasonry Unveiled”, to expose how the Illuminati, the Satanists, and the Lucierians had imposed a secret society upon a secret society.  He produces a great deal of documentary evidence to prove that not even 32nd and 33rd degree Masons know what goes on in the Lodges of the Grand Orient and Pike’s New and Reformed Palladian Rite and the affiliated Lodges of Adoption in which female members of the conspiracy are initiated.  On page 108 he quotes the authority Margiotta to prove that before Pike selected Lemmi to succeed Mazzini as Director of the World Revolutionary Movement, Lemmi was a rabit and confirmed Satanist.   But after he had been selected he was initiated into the Luciferian ideology.
                                   Satan’s goal: the ruin of souls
   Learned theologians have stated that Lucifer, Satan, or call the head of the forces of Evil simply “The Devil”, knows he did wrong and knows that he was wrong.  He is a pure spirit and therefore indestructible.  Knowing he is wrong he still is determined to drag as many souls as possible into hell with him to share his misery.  This being a fact our duty is clear: We have to make known the TRUTH in this regard to as many others as quickly as possible so they can avoid the snares and pit-falls set by those who serve the devil’s purpose and penetrate the lies and deceits of those who wander about the world seeking the ruin of souls.  Weishaupt’s plot requires :
1.	Abolition of ALL ordered national governments.
2.	Abolition of inheritance.
3.	Abolition of private property.
4.	Abolition of patriotism.
5.	Abolition of the individual home and family life as the cell from which all civilizations have stemmed.
6.	Abolition of ALL religions established and existing so that the Luciferian ideology of totalitarianism may be imposed on mankind.

              The headquarters of the conspiracy in the late 1700’s was in Frankfurt, Germany.  After the Bavarian Government’s exposure in 1786, the High Priests of the Luciferian Creed established their headquarters in Switzerland; since World War Two the headquarters have been in the Harold Pratt Building New York.  The Rockefellers have replaced the Rothschields as far as the manipulation of finances is concerned.
                        It is our duty to make the people acquainted with the truth.  Our purpose should be to put God back into politics so we may establish government in accordance with His Plan for the rule of the universe as explained to us in The Scriptures and by God’s only Son Jesus Christ.  Only then will his will be done here as it is in heaven.  In my humble opinion, not until this is done will God intervene on our behalf and the words of  The Lord’s Prayer be accomplished.
                                                                                                   William Guy Carr

     If this excerpt from Pawns in the Game has aroused your interest, then perhaps you will be also be impressed when you read ‘The Fuzz Factor’ by  Jimmy Clair.   This book presents recent evidence indicating that the world is on the brink of  great catastrophe, which could lead to the death of the greater part of humanity, unless attitudes change very rapidly.
                    It is no accident that the coalition government of Fine Gael and Labour have introduced a new house property tax into Ireland.  It is starting at a low rate of 100.00 euros but watch it rise and rise and  keep rising it until they can evict those who cannot or will not pay from their homes.  The purpose of this tax is to bring about Weishaupt’s plot items No. 2, 3 & 5.
                     It is also no coincidence that they have closed the Vatican embassy at this time and removed Catholic priests as school patrons.  They are working to a very definite plan to impose the objectives of the Luciferians as quickly as possible. 
Over the last twenty years there has been a growing secularism which has contributed to a growing individualism and relativism that have impacted on Christians just as much as on those who do not share their faith. With the massive leaps forward in science and technology there has been a corresponding loss of the ‘sacred’, of God and of a common understanding of basic human experiences; i.e. birth, death, life of a family, and reference to a natural moral law. Pope Benedict is especially concerned with the loss of faith among Europeans, where the Christian way of life was once so vibrant.   Given the social upheaval caused by all kinds of migrations and massive urbanisation, the nature and extent of the communications media, the lack of moral compass in economic affairs and the ensuing disparities between rich and poor, as well as a volatile political context at a global level, I have a deep conviction that the Gospel and the Christian tradition has a message of hope in the midst of all these challenges.  When the alternative to Hope and Love is ‘might is right’, then there is only one correct path for all of  humanity.  This Irish government of Fianna Gael/ Labour is well on the way to implementing all the plans on the illuminati program. 
  It is well on the way to implementing plan number 4 of the six part plan by exporting hundreds of thousands of young Irish people and replacing them with the new Irish passport holders, fifty one thousand of whom replaced the seventy thousand Irish who were forced to emigrate in 2012 alone.



Conclusion

              I do not expect any Irish government to do what is right and pursue the corrupt Botswana regime for justice. The freemasons control our political system and our media; they in effect pick our political masters by weight of propaganda, don’t for one minute think that you are being fairly represented in parliament. 
              RTE is nothing other than a Government Propaganda organisation. When Fianna Fail/Greens were in power they pushed the property bubble with their crazy property programs, with so called experts telling people to get ‘on the property ladder before it is too late’. Showing nightly news clips with people queuing overnight to buy ridiculously over priced, badly built houses and apartments. With no questions asked about why homes in Ireland should in ten years become the most expensive in the world. There were no gold mines discovered, no oil wells pumping millions of barrels a day, no Irish company exporting worldwide and employing  a million highly paid staff.  Yet the rubbish on RTE continued unabated with programs worshipping so called entrepreneurs like Seanie Fitzpatrick, bankers ,opportunistic developers and auctioneers many of whom had very questionable associations with the elite.
              I am convinced the illuminati and satan worshippers are in total control of the entire Irish media and all the Irish political parties and anyone who stands in their way will be destroyed.
 

Many people who have read my book have asked a very obvious question; why did I not contact RTE about Michael Mc Grath's murder in Botswana? Well, the answer is I did on three separate occasions. I rang The Marian Finucan Show, The Pat Kenny Show, The Joe Duffy Show in 2009 and 2010 and spoke with researchers on these shows. They were very interested in what I had to tell them. They all said they would get back to me, but this never happened. In 2010, I spent five hours going over the details of the case with a journalist from TV3. He took a summary of Jennifer Wild's reports. He told me he would discuss it with his producer and that he would get back to me within five days. That was almost 5 years ago and I have heard nothing. When I offered to show my evidence to the local newspaper, The Avondhu, the editor told me ' he did not want to see it!' Even a small local newspaper, with a circulation of a few thousand, has been bought up by the same faceless people who control all the media- TV, Radio and Newspaper. When I gave a copy of Jennifer Wild's 2nd Interim Report to a journalist with The Corkman, she told me she "did not have time to read it..."
             Control the media and control the questions that can be asked and are asked. Ask yourself the question, How come local services were adequately paid out of general taxation for the last 100 years and suddenly we now have to pay a water tax and a tax on our homes to pay for something we have already paid for with our general taxes? The fact is it is another big deception to pay bondholders, organised by the prince of deception- Lucifer and his supporters in Fianna Fail/ Fine Gael/ Labour/ RTE.
            This means that the media is no longer the guardian of democracy but a tool for totalitarianism where constantly sidetracked by new issues and the original agenda is completed in darkness. A good example of the 'bank guarantee' brought in at midnight, under the cover of darkness by Brian Cowen and Brian Lennihan, endorsed by Enda Kenny and Eamonn Gilmore. The more these people get away with the more arrogant they become. The philosophy with all of them is the same, might is right. Luciferian to the core and it is only fitting that the plot should be given away by Dr. Shathani 'son of satan'.


My brother Michael was savagely beaten at some time on the afternoon of 12th of December, and murdered in darkness approximately 4:45am on the 13th of December, 2006. They have managed to keep his murder a secret of the darkness for the last eight years. I am shining a bright spotlight on those involved. It was only because of my direct experience that I was able to link all these seemingly unconnected individuals, Dr. Shathani, Flor Horan, Charlie Flannagan, Ivana Bacik, Brian Cowen, Enda Kenny, President Ian Pharma, RTE and all the news media. 
       RTE is a propaganda machine comparable to Goebbals, only much more subtle. I no longer watch anything on RTE. I would not watch it even if I were paid to watch it, never mind paying to watch the drivel that passes for impartial news on it. They had TV cameras and journalists on the streets of Dublin when I led a protest march from the GPO to the Dail at 2pm on the 19th of October, 2008. There was not a single news report on this protest. I thought it was right that we should begin our protest at the GPO, the site where those who died for Irish freedom made their stand. It was fitting that our protest ended at the gates of the Dail, where men who have betrayed the Irish people now hold power. 
         I know they will have their spin doctors twist everything I have put before you inside out, as Dr. Shathani did at the Coroner’s Court. The bottom line is that the Gardai by their unconditional support of every stunt by Margaret Lynch and the politicians by turning a blind eye to every bit of evidence placed before them have Approved the murder of Michael McGrath.

The politicians who excelled in their duty to a voiceless Irish citizen were:
Michael Ahern from North Cork,
Mattie McGrath from Tipperary South and 
Michael Mac Dowell, as Minister for Justice.
I thank them and the country needs people like them.

The politicians who are unfit for office and a total disgrace are:
Michael Martin
Brian Cowen
Dermot Ahern
Sean Sherlock
Ivana Bacik
Tom Hayes
Charlie Flanagan
Alan Shatter
Enda Kenny
Eamonn Gilmore.

              I would ask every honest person in Ireland and throughout the world to boycott these people and the political parties they represent;   Fianna Fail, Fianna Gael and Labour. They have not alone sold out on my voiceless brother but they have sold the people of Ireland out by agreeing to transfer the billions of debt owed by the elite onto not just you and me, but the unborn.
             They have deceitfully brought in a tax on peoples basic homes and called it a ‘PROPERTY TAX’. It is no such thing, it is a tax and a grab to disinherit people from their own homes.  A time will soon come when only the very rich will own their own homes. That the rich would always betray the poor was as obvious to James Connolly as it was to Henry Joy McCracken a century before him. Connolly said it was impossible to reconcile Irish freedom with the treble whammy of insidious economic subjugation of the ordinary people,- with taxing the poor and capitalist fraud. The system divides society into two warring factions – the robbers and the robbed, the idlers and the workers, the rich and the poor. Anyone who could support the evil of agreeing to have future generations born into servitude, has to be a member of the illuminati.  

             Our unborn are Pawns in the Game, it is not enough to remain silent, we must pray to God the Father, The Son and The Holy Ghost to ensure these people and their supporters are removed from all positions of power and influence, local, national and international. Anyone who is continuing to be a member of these parties, should question their reason for doing so and if they have a conscience, resign from them today. 
             RTE is not a public service broadcaster by any standard you care to measure it. For Fianna Gael/ Labour it is a mouthpiece for austerity and fostering division between rich and poor, between employed and unemployed. It is a disgraceful self serving station. There is no free press; it is a press owned by a rich elite only  interested in promoting their own interests.

And I sincerely thank the thousand and fifty one people from Mitchelstown and around the world who signed my petition to the President of Botswana. I regard the signatures of all these virtuous souls as a roll of honour. I will publish their names when this book has been published all over the world.
       May Jesus and his Blessed Mother protect us from all evil. I will go before my God, knowing that I have completed the special task I asked of the Just Judge, when I in effect died 40 years ago. I have finally written my book, it is the reason for my existence. I advise anyone who has read as far as this page to read all about The Apparitions at Garabandal and Fatima because terrible times are coming and only those who are aware of the full Messages will survive and more importantly ‘Save their Souls’. For most of my life I have lived by the principle of ‘An eye for an eye’.  I have been reactive and unforgiving. It is only over the last fourteen years that I have been brought to my knees by stress, by pain and by suffering. I have tried to get cured by any means possible but it is only when I read ‘Fatima from the beginning’ and Garabandal that I began to understand my station in life. I understand that my suffering is a gift from God which I offer up for souls every day. We must pray to Jesus and Mary who are much offended by mans sins; we need to look at the lives of Francisco and Jacinta from Fatima, who in their short lives leave an example to all mankind. I will continue to pray for all God’s children throughout the world as long as I live.  My mission in life will not be complete until I have helped to save at least one soul from hell, maybe my own. Twenty years ago all those involved in Michael’s death would be dead within months by my hand but God had other plans for me and it wasn’t until my weakened body allowed me time to reflect and understand the work of Redemption that I came to the Truth of my existence. I am joined by my soul to the Mystical Body as are the souls of even those who make me suffer. When I reflect on God it brings to mind the ten commandments. God could write all his laws in ten short sentences. Our political masters have spent the last hundred years writing new laws and still cannot get it right because they don’t know the difference between right and wrong and have tried to write Jesus out of peoples lives forever. They could not be more wrong. I unite the sufferings of Michael Mc Grath in the last 24hours of his life with my own and offer them to God in reparation for our sins and those of the whole world. 
I am ready when God calls.
Tom McGrath.
       Ireland 2014

Scanned Letters and

media links

• File on Botswana death opened (irishtimes.com)
• Report to ?unearth the truth? over Botswana death of North Cork man – Independent.ie
• Open verdict on death of Mitchelstown man who died in Botswana – Independent.ie