29/05/2012

Accusations Of Lies At Mauritius Murder Trial

A senior police officer gave evidence to the trial in Mauritius of two men charged with the murder of a Tyrone woman today.

He told the court that the hotel room where Michaela McAreavey's body was found had been disturbed and a drawer in the bathroom was lying open.

Inspector Sunilduth Nucchedy was asked why police records referred to widower John McAreavey as a "suspect", but answered that he did not know.

And he said that after Mr McAreavey moved hotel rooms, an officer was placed outside his room to provide "police assistance with due respect to the protocol of victim support".

The inspector admitted that his team had not interviewed guests who checked out during the January night last year when Mrs McAreavey was killed.

Earlier, a police officer denied "lying" about his actions during the investigation.

Yesterday in court he said he could give no reason why the journey from the hotel to the police station took two hours longer than it should have.

Defendant Mr Treebhoowoon previously told the court police had beaten him up.

And the court heard that key prosecution witness Raj Theekoy, a former suspect in the case, claimed not to know anything the day after Mrs McAreavey was killed.

On January 11 last year, he signed a statement saying: "I did not kill the lady. I don't know how she was killed. I don't know anything about the lady."

Former hotel workers Avinash Treebhoowoon, 30, and Sandip Moneea, 42, deny murder.

The trial continues.

(NE)

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