GARDAÍ INVOLVED in the investigation of the murder of French film producer Sophie Toscan du Plantier in west Cork are to travel to France this week to testify before an inquiry into her killing.
The inquiry has been established by the French authorities.French sources have confirmed to The Irish Timesthat Supt Liam Horgan of Bantry Garda station, who is heading up the investigation into Ms Toscan du Plantier's killing, and Det Garda Jim Fitzgerald of Bandon Garda station, will travel to Paris this week.
Supt Horgan, who was the Garda liaison officer with Ms Toscan du Plantier’s parents, Georges and Marguerite Bouniol, at the time of the killing, and Det Garda Fitzgerald, who was involved in the interviewing of suspects, will meet with the French inquiry team.
It is understood they are scheduled to spend two days testifying before investigating magistrate Judge Patrick Gachon. The judge was appointed in 2008 to investigate Ms Toscan du Plantier’s murder at her holiday home at Toormore near Schull in west Cork in December 1996.
Judge Gachon and a second magistrate, Judge Nathalie Dutartre, arrived in Cork in June and spent three days in west Cork carrying out inquiries. They visited Ms Toscan’s du Plantier’s holiday home where they were shown where her badly beaten body was discovered.
It is understood that Judge Gachon’s inquiry team is contemplating calling up to 30 witnesses from west Cork and elsewhere who gave statements to gardaí, which were included in the Garda file on the matter which was then forwarded to the DPP.
Judge Gachon obtained the file earlier this year after Garda Commissioner Fachtna Murphy sanctioned its handing over following the completion of a review by then asst commissioner Ray McAndrew into the Garda handling of the original investigation.
The French authorities then made a formal application to the Department of Justice and Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern approved the handing over of an extensive file of documents. The papers were then translated into French for Judge Gachon who began reviewing the translated documents in April.
Aside from investigating Ms Toscan du Plantier’s murder, it’s understood that Judge Gachon and his team are also looking at parts of the Garda file to see whether there is a case for bringing an obstructing the course of justice prosecution. This action could be brought against anyone who may have impeded the original investigation of the crime.
Meanwhile, a lawyer working for a group established by Ms Toscan du Plantier’s family and friends to campaign for justice for the French Tasc has welcomed the fact that two gardaí central to the investigation are to travel to France and testify before Judge Gachon.
Lawyer Alain Spilliaert, a member of The Association for the Truth about the Murder of Sophie Toscan du Plantier, said that it was another important step in the family’s efforts to have their daughter’s killer finally brought to justice.