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An investigation conducted by Police Ombudsman Marie Anderson has concluded that the police failed to effectively pursue relevant suspects in the murder of a Catholic taxi driver in Belfast. John O’Hara, a father-of-five, was shot dead by the Ulster Defence Association (UDA) on Dunluce Avenue in 1991. Despite having no connection to any political party or paramilitary group, Mr. O’Hara was targeted in the attack.
Mrs. Anderson’s review of the original Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) investigation, prompted by a complaint from the victim’s family, uncovered several shortcomings. These included forensic failings that ultimately led to an inadequate investigation. Following the shooting, intelligence received within two weeks implicated the involvement of eight individuals, yet only three were arrested, with no evidence supporting the verification of their alibis.
One suspected gunman, identified by witness statements and multiple pieces of intelligence, was not apprehended. Mrs. Anderson highlighted the comprehensive initial police response to the incident but criticized the subsequent murder inquiry for its failure to bring the perpetrators to justice. Notably, a car matching the description of the getaway vehicle was never seized for examination, and crucial forensic evidence, including two guns used in the attack, has since gone missing without proper documentation.
The findings of the ombudsman’s report have been met with approval from Mr. O’Hara’s family and their solicitor, Pádraig Ó Muirigh. Describing the investigation as deeply flawed, Mr. Ó Muirigh emphasized the gravity of the deficiencies identified. Sinn Féin MLA Deirdre Hargey echoed these sentiments, asserting the family’s right to a fresh investigation after more than three decades of campaigning for truth and justice in the face of ongoing challenges
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