Men cleared of killing Michaela set to sue state

The two men cleared of killing Michaela McAreavey are set to sue the Mauritian state for damages, their barristers have warned.

In a press conference five days after Avinash Treebhoowon and Sandip Mooneea were found not guilty of killing the 27-year-old Tyrone woman, their respective barristers, Sanjeev Teeluckd-harry and Rama Valayden, said the state “should have done an out-of-court settlement” and warned the claim for damages could emerge in a few days.

During their address to the media, which was attended by both the cleared men and their wives, the two lawyers focused on what they described as the “incompetence” of the police and the shortcomings of the investigation.

They also referred to alleged police abuse toward the suspects.

Mr Teeluckdharry said a “miscarriage of justice tribunal” would have to be set up to deal with several claims of alleged police brutality.

Mr Valayden said the members of the jury “sent the right signal” last Thursday by clearing their clients, thus ensuring that a miscarriage of justice was avoided.

The press conference came a day after the Mauritius prime minister Navin Ramgoolam claimed that a defence lawyer gave graphic images of Mrs McAreavey’s body and the crime scene in the Legends Hotel to a newly formed newspaper, the Sunday Times, which published them this week. Yesterday, both defence barristers claimed the prime minister had been misled.

“The police have been withholding information to the prime minister, Navin Ramgoolam. He did not receive the correct information on the investigation conducted by the MCIT [Major Crime Investigation Team],” said Rama Valayden.

He said he expected the prime minister to hold a meeting with the defence lawyers before making any comments on the murder case, but “sadly it did not happen”.

However Mr Valayden said he and Sanjeev Teeluckdharry were willing to meet with the prime minister and the leader of the opposition at any time.

Today, the North’s deputy first minister, Martin McGuinness, is due to meet with the Mauritian high commissioner in London.

He has already called for police from both sides of the border to be sent to Mauritius to help in a new investigation aimed at identifying Mrs McAreavey’s killer.

Meanwhile, The Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority (MTPA) is to begin a promotional drive to try to drum up favourable publicity. This follows reports in the Mauritian media that tour operators had begun to boycott holidays there following negative publi-city in Ireland toward the paradise island. The campaign is to start in September with tourism chiefs organising press trips to increase awareness of what the country has to offer.