An Irish multimillionaire who mysteriously turned up in February claiming he had been kidnapped and held prisoner for eight months has been charged with wasting police time.

Kevin McGeever also faces charges of making a false complaint about his disappearance, last June. The 68-year-old appeared before Judge Geoffrey Browne at Strokestown district court on Wednesday. He was charged under sections 12a and 12b of the Irish Republic's 1976 Criminal Law Act.

He was taken to Gort Garda station, in Galway, where he was charged with both counts at 10.35pm. He made no reply to either charge.

Castlerea garda inspector Padraig Jones said gardaí had no objection to bail but requested a number of conditions. These included an independent surety of €10,000 (£8,600), €3,000 of it in cash; he must also provide his own bond, of €2,500.

McGeever was ordered to sign on three times a week, on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, at a garda station to be nominated once the home address was given. He must sign on between 7am and 10pm.

The one-time property developer was remanded in custody with consent to bail. His case was adjourned until 26 July at Harristown court.

McGeever was not seen for eight months after he was reported missing in County Galway in June 2012. He was found, with an insult allegedly carved into his head, and with long hair, an unkempt beard and long fingernails, on the Leitrim-Cavan border by a woman driving past.

The former helicopter-flying, Porsche-driving personification of the so-called Celtic Tiger boom was reported missing from his luxury mansion by his partner last spring. When he turned up again McGeever reportedly told gardaí he had been abducted by three masked and armed men from his mansion in rural Galway in May.

He told officers the kidnappers had demanded a ransom for his safe release but he did not know whether one had been paid, it was reported.

The property developer said he could not remember what had happened to him since, but, as he was being released, he had been given a mobile phone, and been told to keep it with him at all times.

During the boom, McGeever ran an international property business selling luxury homes in Dubai to rich Irish and British clients.