A defence witness told the Kieran Keane murder trial yesterday that he gave a lift to one of the accused on the night of the murder.
Mr Barry Fitzgerald, with an address in the UK, told the Central Criminal Court that he gave a lift to the accused Mr Anthony McCarthy.
He said he picked him up at a garage near Fairgreen in Limerick in a white van.
The jury has seen video footage of the garage's CCTV which shows a white van pulling up and a man getting into it at approximately 8.50 p.m. on the night of the murder.
Mr Anthony McCarthy had told gardaí that he was in his house in Fairgreen earlier that night but had always maintained he then got a lift from a man in a white van and was dropped off at the Weston area of the city.
Questioned by Mr Roddy O'Hanlon SC, for Mr McCarthy, Mr Fitzgerald agreed he gave the accused a lift and said he also picked up two other men, whom he did not name.
Five men have pleaded not guilty to the murder of Mr Keane (36), of Garryowen House, Garryowen, Limerick, on January 29th last at Drombana, Bushy Island, Limerick, and to falsely imprisoning Mr Keane on the same date.
They also deny the attempted murder and false imprisonment of Mr Owen Treacy (31), of St Munchin's Street, St Mary's Park, Limerick, on the same date, also at Drombana.
They are: Mr David Stanners (31), of Pineview Gardens, Moyross; Mr Desmond Dundon (20), of Hyde Road, Limerick; Mr Anthony McCarthy (21), of Fairgreen, Garryowen; Mr Christopher Costelloe (20), of Moylish Avenue, Ballynanty Beg; and Mr James McCarthy (24), of Delmege Park, Moyross.
The defence's case before Mr Justice Carney and the jury is expected to close at Cloverhill court today.