Michaela accused’s lawyer now joins call for inquiry
Support for John McAreavey comes from unlikely source
A SOLICITOR who defended one of the men acquitted of the murder of newlywed Michaela McAreavey has backed demands from the young woman’s widower that police in Mauritius re-investigate the case.
The young Tyrone woman was murdered while honeymooning at a luxury resort on the island of Mauritius in January 2011 with her Gaelic footballer husband John.
The demand for a new inquiry comes on the eve of the release of a podcast about her death. Murder In Mauritius has been made by her widower, and the first episode is out tomorrow.
Michaela was found strangled to death in a bathtub in the suite where she was staying with her husband.
Two hotel workers, Avinash Treebhoowoon and Sandip Moneea, were later arrested in connection with the 26-year-old bride’s death. The two men were acquitted a year later after a sensational murder trial that made international headlines.
Speaking to the Irish Mail on Sunday last night, Sanjeev Teeluckharry, who defended Mr Treebhoowoon, described the investigation into Michaela’s murder as the worst ever carried out by police in Mauritius.
He explained: ‘[The police] failed to carry out a proper inquiry and they rushed to find two scapegoats.
‘They tortured my client . . . they obtained a confession through torture and violence and the confession [they got] was a physical impossibility for things to have happened in that way. It was an incredible story so that the confession was completely disregarded by the jury.
‘The police made catastrophic failures . . . We asked the authorities during the trial to restart a new inquiry. A new inquiry should happen.’
Meanwhile, Michaela’s widower John says he decided to make the podcast series about his wife’s murder – which features contributions from Michaela’s brother Mark and John’s sister Claire – because the truth was lost in the sensational murder trial.
He explained on Pat Kenny’s Newstalk radio programme on Friday: ‘We always felt that because the trial itself had turned into this big circus act, we felt that truth had been lost in that and we wanted to present the evidence.
‘Because the evidence was so strong . . . we are so certain that the men who were acquitted were responsible.’
When asked about Mr McAreavey’s remarks, Mr Teeluckberry last night said he would have to consult with his client before he could comment.
Michaela was the only daughter of Tyrone GAA football manager Mickey Harte. John remarried in 2016.
‘Police rushed to carry out a proper inquiry’