A man was charged in Belfast yesterday with murdering Gino Gallagher the INLA chief of staff who was gunned down in a social security office on the Falls Road six weeks ago.
Mr Charles Kevin Begley (25) of Dunville Street, in the Falls area, did not speak during the brief remand hearing at Belfast Magistrates Court.
A detective inspector said when Mr Begley was charged on Saturday, he replied: "Not guilty. I was not there."
Cross-examined by Mr Sean McCann, defending, the inspector said he was relying on alleged verbal admissions to connect the defendant with the charge.
He denied Mr Begley had been refused access to a solicitor during interrogation and said he was not aware that he had complained of ill-treatment by police while in Castlereagh holding centre.
Mr Begley was remanded in custody until April 4th and was told by the Resident Magistrate that he had a right to apply to the High Court for bail.
Three other men who had "been questioned about the Gallagher murder were released yesterday without charge.