Charles Bowden has told the Special Criminal Court that he remained unhappy with the way the Department of Justice has dealt with him in the witness protection programme. The protected witness said that he believed the Department had not been seriously considering his applications for temporary release until he gave evidence in the Veronica Guerin murder trials.
However, he added that he was happy with the Garda arm of the witness protection programme. He said that he always assured the Department of his willingness to testify. He said that it was a personal decision beyond question and always had been. Mr Bowden has been giving evidence in the trial of John Gilligan, who is accused of murdering Veronica Guerin in June 1996 and importing drugs and firearms.
