Michaela suspects face trial after preliminary inquiry

THE preliminary inquiry into the murder of Michaela Harte in Mauritius in January has found there is enough evidence to send forward two suspects for trial for her killing.

Ms Harte was killed on January 10 while on honeymoon at the Legends Hotel in Grand Gaube. She died just days after marrying John McAreavey.

Magistrate Sheila Bonomally, who conducted the preliminary inquiry into the killing, delivered her findings on Sandip Mooneea and Avinash Treebhoowon at the district court of Mapou but added that the court’s decision is a “temporary one”.

She explained to the accused that the court “did not condemn” them on a charge of murder.

“This court has a probable presumption that you (Mooneea and Treebhoowon) are guilty. This decision is temporary until the Director of Public Prosecution takes a stand to either maintain the charges of murder and go for trial at the Assizes; or reduce the charges of murder and still go for trial at the Assizes; or strike out all the charges against you,” Magistrate Bonomally said.

The findings came following a month-long preliminary inquiry during which 11 witnesses gave evidence at the district court. After the brief hearing yesterday, Reshma Treebhoowon, the wife of Avinash, said the trial of her husband should have ended on the preliminary inquiry stage itself.

“My husband is innocent. It is very hard that we are now contemplating a trial at the Assizes. I wished it had ended here. I will keep on supporting my husband and I firmly believed that he is innocent,” she said.

Mooneea’s wife said the whole police enquiry and the preliminary inquiry was a joke.

“The real culprit is out having a good time while innocents will probably face murder trial at the Assizes,” she said.

The DPP’s decision as to whether and when the murder trial will be lodged at the Supreme Court should be known soon.

In some quarters of the judiciary it is believed that it could only be a matter of weeks before the decision emerges.