Witness says Murat ‘is a really cool guy’
One person, Robert Murat, is considered a suspect. Police consider three other people questioned this week — an associate and two friends of Mr Murat — as witnesses.
Mr Murat, who denies any involvement in the disappearance of Madeleine McCann, was one of three people questioned on Monday.
A document obtained from the local car hire firm in Praia da Luz, Auto Rent III Algarve, appears to show that Murat rented a Hyundai car from Saturday to Tuesday.
He gave his address in Hockering, Norfolk, rather than in the Algarve, but listed his Portuguese mobile number.
Mr Murat worked as a translator for the McCann family, and is also well known among reporters in Praia Da Luz.
On May 4, the day after Madeleine’s disappearance, Mr Murat made himself known to journalists, chatting about the case but initially refusing to reveal his role. He told people he had a daughter the same age as Madeleine.
Some became suspicious of Mr Murat’s motives, and a Sunday Mirror reporter last week reported him to the police.
The reporter, Lori Campbell, said Mr Murat — raised in Portugal but who also lived in England — had joked with her about media rumours he was a suspect in the case.
Members of his family have insisted he had nothing to do with Madeleine’s abduction and say he was having dinner with his mother Jenny on the night the child was abducted.
Police do not have enough evidence to charge or arrest Mr Murat, but have classed him as a suspect.
Sergey Malinka, who was questioned on Wednesday, designed a website for Mr Murat.
Mr Malinka, aged 22, lives with his parents, just yards from the village church in Praia da Luz. He has lived in the area since he moved to Portugal from Moscow seven years ago.
The IT expert has confirmed doing some work on a website for Mr Murat more than a year ago.
He described Mr Murat as “a really cool guy”, but said he hadn’t seen him for three months. It is understood there were several mobile phone calls between Mr Malinka and Mr Murat on the night Madeleine disappeared. The Russian man said police have been speaking to everyone in Mr Murat’s phone book.
Mr Malinka insists he had nothing to do with Madeleine’s disappearance and had been “surprised” to be questioned by police.
He says he was interviewed as a witness, that he has no previous convictions and that no child pornography was found on his computer.
Michaela Walczuch, a German, is Mr Murat’s girlfriend. The two have been in a relationship for about 14 months.
Ms Walczuch, an estate agent, was questioned on Monday. She had recently set up a property sales website with Mr Murat. The two met while working at the Remax agency. She is considered awitness.
Luis Antonio, a Portuguese pool maintenance worker, is Ms Walczuch’s ex-husband. The two live in the same apartment along with their eight-year-old daughter.
He was also questioned on Monday, and is considered a witness.
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