Three Brazilian men appeared at Naas District Court yesterday evening charged in connection with the death of a 39-year-old fellow Brazilian.
Alessandro De Almeida Mata (29) and Jose Batista (29), Ruanbeg Place, Kildare town, and Adriano Costa (23), Greencove Apts, Ballymany, Newbridge, were charged with intentionally or recklessly causing serious harm to Paulo Siqueira (39), Newbridge.
They were charged under Section 4 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act. The alleged offences are said to have happened at Ruanbeg Close, Kildare town, in the early hours of Saturday morning.
The men appeared before Judge Murrough Connellan at a special sitting of Naas District Court shortly after 8pm.
The defence solicitors requested that bail be granted.
Insp Seán Lavin said the State objected to bail on grounds of the serious nature of the charges. He said from the Garda investigation it was found that some evidence had been destroyed and witnesses were interfered with.
He added there may be a more serious charge brought. He said the men were only in the country a short time and he had reservations if they would turn up for court if they got bail.
Solicitors acting for the accused said their clients would be strongly protesting their innocence. The court heard they had been living in Ireland for up to four years.
Legal aid was granted for the three defendants and interpreters certified.
The judge remanded the accused in custody to appear at Cloverhill Court tomorrow at 10.30am.
He said the court was not refusing bail but deferring the issue to the next sitting.
Mr Siqueira was found lying on the roadside in Ruanbeg estate in Kildare town by gardaí at 4am on Saturday and he was later pronounced dead at the scene. It is believed he suffered serious head injuries.
He was married with children and had been living in Newbridge for the past three years. He worked at a local meat factory.