Sligo man Bernard Conlon yesterday said a Co Donegal garda sergeant told him to make up a story that he had been threatened with a silver bullet by two members of the extended McBrearty family.
Key witness Mr Conlon described how he pretended to be frightened and "put on a trance and a show" to two Sligo gardaí who called to his home after the faked incident was reported.
The tribunal is inquiring into allegations by Mr Conlon that Det Sgt John White told him to make up a story that Mark McConnell and Michael Peoples threatened him at his home. The two men were arrested as a result.
Mr Conlon later admitted that the story was false and alleged that Sgt White had put him up to it to get at the McBreartys, who were suspected of being involved in the death of Richie Barron. The tribunal has since held his death was caused by a hit-and-run in which the McBreartys were not involved.
Sgt White has denied all the allegations made against him by Mr Conlon.
Yesterday, Mr Conlon said Sgt White had previously asked him to get caught in Frankie's nightclub in Raphoe on August 31st, 1997, owned by the McBreartys, and testify against them. The court cases were adjourned many times.
Mr Conlon said Sgt White then asked him to do him a favour. He wanted him to say the two men were at his home. They planned it one day at Letterkenny courthouse. Sgt White indicated he would pay him £200.
"He wanted me to make a complaint about two men calling to my home. I did make the complaint. Now I know it was wrong what I done and was false information," he said.
Sgt White told Mr Conlon to say two men arrived at his door in Sligo and showed him a "silver-coloured bullet" and threatened him. The man was supposed to say that "this is one for you and one for White" and that White had a trailer missing and he would be missing too.
He was also to say that the man had his hands in his pockets and he would get what was in his pockets, meaning bullets. The man would say that he had seen Mr Conlon in court and that he called him Informer Conlon.
Sgt White told him to look worried and scared. "He said, look scared and look all upset when the two members from Sligo calls up to you," he said.
That night on July 20th, 1998, he waited for Tony Doyle, who was staying at his home, to return. He sat in the dark. "I was beginning to put on a bit of a trance and a show." When Mr Doyle came in, he asked him to call the gardaí. Two detectives arrived in about 10 minutes.
He told the gardaí his story and one took notes. "I was still in a trance, like you know, as I was still carrying out the instructions of Sgt White."
Next day, he went to Sligo station to make a statement.
"I didn't like it. I was under a lot of pressure from Sgt John White, seeing as I was working for him and being found on [the premises] and he was giving me money. I found I was under an obligation to carry it out," he said.