Irish dad still not home 13 days after being freed from Iraq jail
An 'innocent hostage' freed from prison in Iraq a fortnight ago after four years behind bars has still not been allowed to return home to Ireland.
Robert Pether was jailed in Baghdad in April 2021 after leaving his family home at Elphin in Roscommon to help build the new Central Bank of Iraq. He was imprisoned as part of a €20 million contract row between the bank and his Dubai-based employer. After a high-profile campaign that was reported throughout by the Irish Mirror, it was finally announced on June 5 past that Rob was being released.
But construction engineer Rob, 49, wife Desree, 53, and kids Flynn 21, Oscar 20, and Nala 12 are still waiting for his travel ban to be lifted so that the family can be reunited. Sinn Fein TD Claire Kerrane, who campaigned for his release, said: 'I cannot express the happiness I feel for Desree, Flynn, Oscarand Nala. Rob must now be brought home.'
However, today is 13 days since he was released on bail and yet there remains little public progress about his homecoming. Sources close to the situation last night confirmed 'things are moving in the background' but the date of Rob's arrival back in Ireland remains unclear, according to his supporters.
Meanwhile, since his conditional release, he has been forced to miss more family milestones like son Oscar's 20th birthday and another Father's Day. His wife Desree, who previously described her husband as an 'innocent hostage', posted on social media on Father's Day.
She wrote: 'So close and yet still not here to spend the day with his family. Weekend number 218. You're an awesome dad Robert Pether.' Last week, on Oscar's birthday, she wrote: 'Happy Birthday Oscar. We are super proud of you. What you've achieved in the past few years, while facing what we have, is amazing.'
Desree two weeks ago revealed that Rob, who previously survived melanoma cancer, now has prostate cancer and is in seriously bad health. Doctors confirmed a rapid deterioration in his condition in the weeks before he got out of prison that Desree said jail has left her husband looking 'unrecognisable'.
She told us: 'We got the news from Robert himself via video call on his solicitor's phone. His first words were, 'There's my family, I'm out'.' She added: 'Robert is not well at all. He really needs to just come home so he can get the proper medical care he needs."
Rob, who is from Australia but his home is in Roscommon, was arrested and jailed on fraud charges, which he denied and which the UN claimed were false.
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