County Roscommon resident returning to Ireland after being detained in Iraq for five years
Desree Pether, who lives in Elphin, and her husband Robert in happier times prior to his imprisonment in an Iraqi jail.
The Roscommon-based family of Australian engineer Robert Pether, who was held in an Iraq prison for almost five years, have welcomed the news that he is on his way back home to Ireland.
Speaking to RTÉ News this morning, his wife Desree, who lives with her family in Elphin, said she "still can't quite believe it's real".
"It's a massive relief," she said.
Mr Pether, who is in poor health, had previously been released after four and a half years of incarceration. While there was an expectation he would be allowed travel home to his family, it never materialised.
The family have tirelessly campaigned for his release, fearing he would die in Iraq.
The father-of-three and construction engineer was jailed in a €20 million contract row between his Dubai-based employer and the Central Bank of Iraq after he and a colleague were arrested in Baghdad on April 7th, 2021.
