THE CHAOTIC crush at the door had eased and the frenzied opening-day atmosphere had given way to a more low key, purposeful tone. Yesterday in the Mauritian capital of Port Louis, the noise abated and a murder trial began.
In the dock are two hotel workers accused of murdering Michaela McAreavey, the daughter of Tyrone football manager Mickey Harte, while she was on honeymoon with her husband John last year. The two men, Avinash Treebhoowon (30) and Sandip Moneea (42), listened without expression as chief prosecutor Mehdi Manrakhan set out the state’s case.
Manrakhan recalled the Irish couple’s “fairytale” wedding and their arrival on “our paradise island” to spend “what was meant to be the best days of their married life”. They were just two days into their stay when, on January 10th, Michaela left John at the poolside to get some biscuits from their room for a cup of tea. “John stayed behind and waited ... and waited, for her to come back,” he said.
Moneea, a floor supervisor at the Legends Hotel, has always denied involvement in the killing, but the jury of six men and three women was told Treebhoowon had made a confession to police before retracting it.
“He had been stealing in room 1025 when he was caught red-handed by Michaela. In order not to be exposed, since Michaela had clearly identified him, he willingly participated in her killing,” said the barrister, citing the original confession.
Manrakhan said medical examinations showed Mrs McAreavey died from asphyxiation due to compression of the neck.
Perhaps the most significant prosecution witness will be Raj Theekoy, a third employee at Legends Hotel, who says he heard a woman screaming and then saw the two accused leaving the McAreaveys’ room.
Manrakhan said Theekoy confronted the pair about what happened but was allegedly warned by Moneea: “If you open your mouth I’ll get you involved in the case.”
John McAreavey was not in court yesterday because he is due to be a witness later in the trial, but his sister Claire and Michaela’s brother Mark Harte were there, accompanied by a diplomat from the Irish Embassy in South Africa and two PSNI officers.
Some of the opening day’s problems – severe overcrowding and poor sound – improved yesterday, but police were forced to turn some people away, and there was still the occasional jarring moment. At one point, a group of law students and barristers laughed loudly as defence counsel put pressure on a police witness. One or two people fell asleep in the public gallery.
Almost 50 witnesses are listed to give evidence. The judge has told the jury to allow two weeks for the trial, but warned them it could take longer.
