The widow of a Sligo garda said yesterday she felt that because her husband was dead, he was being used to cover up for the wrongdoings of some Garda Síochána members.
Kathleen Keogh, a mother of five, said she was at the tribunal to clear the name of her husband, Garda John Keogh. Retired garda John Nicholson had implicated him and said he was in some way involved in obtaining forged certificates for Bernard Conlon.
A handwriting expert yesterday said Garda Keogh did not forge any documents.
Ms Keogh said: "Because my husband can't talk, he seems to have been blamed for these documents. I firmly believe that he had nothing whatsoever to do with this.He was so honest and treated his position as a garda with the highest respect. I want his name cleared so we, his family, can leave him to rest in peace."
She said her husband died of a heart attack in May 2000. He worked in the communications office in Sligo Garda station.
Peter Charleton SC, for the tribunal, said she had heard nothing about certificates until 2002, when she discovered Mr Nicholson had been arrested.
Mr Charleton said in July 2005 Mr Nicholson claimed that in order to get the certificates he went to Garda Keogh and asked him to write out or procure such certificates. He alleged the certificate was given to him by Garda Keogh.
Ms Keogh said Mr Nicholson called to her office in June 2005. He said he wanted to talk to her about the Morris tribunal, that Garda Keogh had been involved in forged documents. She was absolutely devastated and she asked in what way was her husband involved and Mr Nicholson had said others were also involved, she said.
She decided she would call to Mr Nicholson's home and one of her daughters, Fiona, went with her.
"Fiona broached the subject that I was extremely upset and that's why we were there. She asked him about the documents. She asked John did her dad sign his name to anything and the answer was no. She asked did he write anything and he [Nicholson] said 'just a silly receipt'," Ms Keogh said.