Andrew Carey
€10,000 in bail bond money missing in Limerick Prison is at the centre of a criminal investigation by Gardaí from Roxboro Road Station.
The Irish Prison Service has confirmed that the €10,000 in cash was held at the General Office at the Mulgrave Street Prison and was “unaccounted for” when the investigation was handed over to the Gardaí.
It is understood that a forensic audit of the prison accounts did not uncover any errors in book-keeping.
A spokesperson for the Irish Prison Service said it is normal practice for cash to be held at the General Office of the prison as bail money, anything from €500 up to €60,000 is paid in to prisons to secure the release of remand prisoners.
However, the Limerick Post was told this week that the area where the cash is held is not be accessible to inmates, even those on enhanced regimes or with duties that would allow them movement through other areas of the prison.
It is understood that the money had been lodged to secure the release of two inmates last August.
Once it became known that the money was unaccounted for, a two-day search and an internal investigation got under way.
A source close to the prison said that the incident has caused “consternation”.
“Everyone was in a flap thinking that the money was just misplaced and would turn up but when it didn’t, it became a different story”.
“It is understood that a number of lines of inquiry are being followed by Gardaí but there is understandably a cloud of suspicion now and that’s not good amongst staff.
“The search failed to throw-up anything and the place was turned upside-down”, the source said.
Detectives have met with senior prison staff and Gardaí are expected to carry out interviews this week, review CCTV footage and all bail payments made in the jail.
On Tuesday, the Irish Prison Service confirmed that Limerick prison was on lock-down as officers were carrying out a large-scale search for contraband.
