The brother of Kevin Michael McGeever has said the Galway-based businessman was held captive in a dark room and had his life threatened on several occasions since his disappearance eight months ago.
Brendan McGeever said his brother, who was found wandering the road barefoot and disorientated between Swanlinbar and Ballinamore in Co Leitrim last week, told him he had been physically abused by his captors.
They did not speak to him during his incarceration, he said.
"He didn't see any of them, their faces were covered, he could just see their eyes," he said.
"They handed him notes to look at . . . saying 'you have two more days to live'. They put a gun to his forehead one time, and he said 'Do it now. Do it now, I have made my peace with my God.' That happened quite a few times," he told RTÉ's John Murray.
"He wasn't blindfolded but it was dark inside, and he didn't know if it was night or day."
Mr McGeever had the word "thief" inked on his forehead, and was dressed in a plastic bag. He claims to have been kidnapped from his home in Craughwell, Co Galway, on May 27th last.
