A SLIGO GARDA, STATIONED IN THE WEST, LOOKS SET TO BE CHARGED IN RELATION TO A PROSTITUTION CASE.

THE GARDA, WHO HAS AT THIS TIME NOT BEEN NAMED, IS TO BE CHARGED WITH CORRUPTION OFFENCES FOLLOWING A TWO YEAR INVESTIGATION.

THE GARDA WAS SUSPENDED, ON FULL PAY, WHILE THE PROBE INTO ILLEGAL TRAFFICKING AND ORGANISED PROSTITUTION WAS CARRIED OUT.
HE IS SUSPECTED OF STAMPING AND FALSIFYING DOCUMENTS WHICH ALLOWED A NIGERIAN WOMAN TO LIVE IN THE STATE, WORK AS A PROSTITUTE, AND ALSO ARRANGING RENTED ACCOMMODATION FOR HER.
THE INVESTIGATION BY THE GARDA NATIONAL IMMIGRATION BUREAU AND THE NATIONAL BUREAU OF CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION  INTO ORGANISED PROSTITUTION IN THE WEST AND NORTHWEST OF IRELAND WAS ASSISTED BY COLLEAGUES IN NIGERIA, FRANCE AND THE UNITED KINGDOM WHO DOCUMENTED AND MONITORED THE GANG RESPONSIBLE FOR SMUGGLING WOMEN FROM AFRICA INTO IRELAND WHO WERE COERCED INTO THE SEX INDUSTRY HERE.

MANY OF THE WOMEN, WITH FORGED OR STOLEN PAPERS, WERE SENDING THEIR ILLEGALLY EARNED MONEY TO RELATIVES IN THEIR HOME COUNTRY. THE CHARGED GARDA HAD BEFRIENDED A NIGERIAN WOMAN AND HAD ILLEGALLY STAMPED HER RESIDENTIAL DOCUMENTS.

THE GARDA’S ROLE WAS DISCOVERED AFTER IRREGULARITIES IN IMMIGRATION PAPERS WERE SUBMITTED TO AUTHORITIES. THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC PROSECUTIONS (DPP) IS EXPECTED TO INSTRUCT GARDA MANAGEMENT TO CHARGE THE GARDA SHORTLY.