Morris Tribunal: A former superintendent has said that gardaí "put ideas" into a witnesses's head while taking a crucial statement during the investigation into the death of Raphoe cattle dealer Mr Richie Barron.
Mr Kevin Lennon described the statement taken from Mr Noel McBride on November 29th, 1996, as "the catalyst for the disaster that happened in Donegal".
The tribunal is investigating allegations of corruption and harassment by gardaí from members of the extended McBrearty family, who became suspects during the Barron investigation.
Mr Lennon told the tribunal chairman he "could not back it up", but said he believed gardaí had put ideas in Mr McBride's head during the taking of his statement.
Mr McBride was of low intelligence, he said, and could not have identified locations on an aerial map of Raphoe on his own.
"I was certainly not aware of any impropriety by any garda in relation to the statement of Mr McBride on the 29th of November 1996," Supt Joseph Shelly told the tribunal.
"It is very unfair to say that those gardaí suggested that statement to Mr McBride."
Mr Lennon also said he had not met with Mr William Doherty, a Garda informer, until December 22nd, 1996.
"My diaries will stand up to the record," he told the witness. "At least I have mine superintendent, they're not destroyed," Mr Lennon said.
Supt Shelly told the tribunal that he had read in documentation before the tribunal that Mr Lennon had met with Mr Doherty before that date.
He said that Mr Doherty was an associate of Mr McBride, and Mr Lennon would have known of the connections between Mr McBride, Mr Doherty, and his Garda handler John O'Dowd.
"You were dealing with Garda O'Dowd and his source in relation to security matters, it was hard to believe you wouldn't have some suspicions on other matters as well," he said.
"You were dealing with Garda O'Dowd who was dealing with that source and you had assessed that source," Supt Shelly said.
"In relation to the revelations that are now being made by Garda O'Dowd, its difficult for me to accept that you had no knowledge of it," he said.
The Government dismissed Mr Lennon from the force last October after the tribunal found he had told lies and orchestrated hoax explosives finds.
Mr Lennon also stated he was rushed into halting a planned exhumation of Mr Barron by Chief Supt Denis Fitzpatrick in autumn 1997.