The operators of a car wash in Sligo have been found not guilty by direction of the trial judge of a charge of trafficking and exploitation of a fellow Romanian national following a three-day trial at Sligo Circuit Court.
The jury of 11 men and one woman was directed by Judge Francis Comerford to acquit brothers-in-law Augustin Covaci, 36, of Seaview Drive, Cartron Point, Sligo, and Sorin Cirpaci, 42, of Fortwell Court, Letterkenny, Co Donegal.
The direction came following legal argument in the absence of the jury after the conclusion of the prosecution case yesterday.
Addressing the jury, Judge Comerford said legal points had been argued before him by defence counsel and he was somewhat disappointed on their behalf that he was taking the course he had to.
He said: "My overwhelming preference is for juries to decide but I am going to direct an acquittal of both accused.
"I'm satisfied it is the appropriate action to take."
The men had been charged that on dates between 28 May 2015 and 9 September 2015 at the car wash on Pearse Road, Sligo, they trafficked a man for the purpose of exploiting and coerced him into working by retaining his passport or deceiving him regarding payment.
The men had denied the charge.
The court was told that the alleged victim, who cannot be named to protect his identity, had his passport taken off him and was told he would be working for free after he accidentally reversed a car which was in for valeting into another car, causing €1,332 worth of damage in August 2015 and he had to live off a €4 a day allowance.
The trial was told that the alleged victim's brother had made the initial complaint to gardaí on his behalf and this led to an investigation.
The alleged victim came into the country around May 2015 and initially worked in a car wash in Letterkenny before being moved to Sligo.
The court heard that a lot of the money the alleged victim was getting before the accident was being sent home to his wife in Romania.
He would also get money for cigarettes from time to time.
Retired detective garda Michael Carr told the trial that the alleged victim was not happy with the situation.
On the day that Mr Carr he left the car wash with him, the alleged victim had a bag which contained a tin of beans and a loaf of bread.
In an interview the alleged victim said that even before the accident, he was not getting the money he had been promised.
