Conclusion of Irish Police Investigation into OSSL allegations

OSSL says that Garda Superintendent Thomas Murphy confirmed to them earlier today that he has completed his investigation of their allegations and that his findings are being referred to the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission.

There is some related speculation, based on claimed information from a Corrib gas project insider source, that Supt Murphy has found evidence that OSSL allegations are factually based and will be passing this on to the GSOC.

There is a health warning attached as the source is not known to us.

The following is a self-explanatory email I sent midday today to Supt Murphy in an attempt to confirm the veracity of the claimed insider information.

There has been no response thus far.

JOHN DONOVAN EMAIL TO SUPT. THOMAS MURPHY

From: John Donovan <john@shellnews.net>
Subject: OSSL ALLEGATIONS
Date: 11 October 2013 12:26:32 GMT+01:00
To: Thomas Murphy <Thomas.G.Murphy@garda.ie>, Commissioner <Commissioner@garda.ie>
Cc: michiel.brandjes@shell.com, M.Crothers@shell.com, iain.Middleton@shell.com, THE OSSL COMPANY <osslbangor@hotmail.com>

Dear Supt. Murphy

It is understood from a source inside the Shell led Corrib Gas Project that as a result of your investigation, which included examination of communications between Shell/Corrib employees and Garda officers around the Christmas period in 2007 relating to the supply of alcohol, you have found the basic OSSL allegations to be factual and as a consequence are referring matters to the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission.

I intend to publish this information at 5pm today unless you advise that the insider information is materially inaccurate or require a little more time to provide a considered response.

Kind regards
John

If the latest Garda investigation has substantiated OSSL allegations, that would create an uproar in Ireland as both Shell and the Garda have previously claimed that internal investigations, each carried out independently, had found no evidence  to support OSSL claims. Suspicion of a cover-up remained because neither Shell nor the Garda would issue a categorical denial i.e. the events alleged by OSSL never happened.

SOME OF THE OSSL ALLEGATIONS

OSSL, a local contractor on the Shell Corrib Gas project claims that it supplied gifts and/or free services (sweeteners/bribes) to third parties on Shell’s instruction to smooth the path of the controversial project. OSSL says purchase receipts were destroyed by Shell and invoices falsified on Shell’s instructions to hide what was going on. OSSL alleges that alcohol worth tens of thousands of Euros was delivered to Garda stations by OSSL for distribution to police officers as festive gifts, including Garda policing protests against the project. OSSL claims Shell still owes OSSL money for the gifts, including Garda alcohol.