22/05/2012

Honeymoon Murder Trial Begins

Two men charged with a honeymoon murder go on trial in Mauritius today.

Michaela McAreavey, 27, was found strangled in her luxury hotel on 10 January last year, just 12 days after getting married in Ballymacilroy, County Tyrone.

Avinash Treebhoowoon, 30, and Sandip Moneea, 42, both workers at the Legends Hotel at the time of the incident, have denied murder.

Lawyers for Mr Moneea, a former floor supervisor, will ask for him to be tried separately from Mr Treebhoowoon, a room attendant at the complex.

This would result in today’s trial being put on hold.

Detectives from the PSNI were present this morning in Mauritius’s capital, Port Louis, and helped widower John McAreavey through the crowd at the Supreme Court there.

Mr McAreavey is accompanied by his father, his sister and Mark Harte, Michaela’s brother.

Michaela’s father, Tyrone gaelic football manager Mickey Harte, confirmed through a spokesman that he will not be attending the trial.

But Mr McAreavey has been called by the prosecution to give evidence, as one of 35 witnesses.

A room cleaner at the hotel, Raj Theekoy, is the key witness - police say he was just outside the room and has crucial evidence about the moments after the killing.

Other hotel staff including a bell boy, the chief security officer and the resort director will take to the witness stand in what is expected to be a two-week trial.

(NE)

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25 May 2012
Honeymoon Murder Trial Briefly Adjourned
Proceedings were adjourned briefly at a trial of two men accused of murdering a Northern Irish honeymooner. The defence lawyer for one of the accused persistently asked a police officer about personal items found in Michaela and John McAreavey's hotel room after the 27-year-old was found dead.
12 June 2012
Hotel Played "Dirty Game", Mauritius Court Told
A senior police officer has told a Mauritius court that the husband of a murdered honeymooner was arrested because of a "dirty game" played by hotel managers desperate to protect their reputation.
14 June 2012
Post-Mortem Evidence Given To Mauritius Court
The Tyrone newlywed killed in Mauritius last year was involved in a violent struggle before her death, a court has heard. The doctor who carried out Michaela McAreavey's post-mortem examination gave evidence to court in Port Louis today, at the trial of two former hotel workers accused of the murder.
07 June 2012
Widower 'Mixed Up Dates' In Mauritius Evidence
The widower of a murdered newlywed may be called to give more evidence at court in Mauritius. A lawyer at the trial of two men accused of murdering Michaela McAreavey last year said her husband had "mixed up" some of the dates in his evidence yesterday.
08 August 2012
Key Michaela McAreavey Witness Interviewed In New Probe
A key witness is being questioned about the murder of a County Tyrone honeymooner, more than a month after two hotel workers were cleared of killing her.