irish tourist murdered mauritius

Key witness to Michaela McAreavey murder found dead in Mauritius

Michaela McAreavey was strangled to death at a hotel in Mauritius in 2011. File Picture: PA

Michaela McAreavey's widower has promised to continue to fight for justice for her and her family, despite the news that the lead witness in her murder trial has been found dead.

Police in Mauritius confirmed that Raj Theekoy’s body was discovered on a wasteland in Beau-Plateau in Goodlands on the north of the island last night.

An investigation into his death is now underway.

Mr Theekoy, 43, was a cleaner at the Legends hotel resort where Michaela McAreavey had been staying with her husband John when she was killed in 2011.

The Co Tyrone teacher, who had been married 10 days earlier, was attacked as she returned to her room alone and disturbed a burglary in progress. 

Michaela, the daughter of three-time All-Ireland-winning Gaelic Football manager Mickey Harte, was just 27 years old.

Initially, Raj Theekoy was provisionally charged with conspiracy to murder.

However, after spending two months in prison, the case against him was dropped and he was granted immunity from prosecution.

Two former workers at the luxury resort — Sandip Moneea and Avinash Treebhoowoon — were later acquitted after a high-profile trial on Indian Ocean island in 2012.

The death of Mr Theekoy would not end the pursuit of her killer, according to a lawyer who represents the interests of the family of Ms McAreavey in Mauritius.

Dick Ng Sui Wa described the apparent suicide of Mr Theekoy as “most weird” and said he has encouraged the Mauritanian police to investigate the death “thoroughly."

In a statement, Michaela's widower John McAreavey said Mr Theekoy’s death was "a tragedy for his family."

“Now is a time for their mourning and grief and nothing should intrude on that,” he said.

“When it comes to getting to the truth about Michaela’s murder, nothing has been straightforward in Mauritius and neither the Hartes or myself will be deterred from pursuing justice and truth. Not today, not tomorrow and not ever.

“We will be asking the authorities to assure us that no end will be spared in securing justice for Michaela," he added.

Earlier this summer, the Mauritian government ostensibly agreed to re-examine the details of the case.

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Ex-guard at hotel where honeymooner Michaela McAreavey died questioned by police

• Wednesday 30 March 2022 at 6:52am

Video report by Barbara McCann

Detectives investigating the murder of a Northern Irish honeymooner in Mauritius have arrested and questioned a former security guard, the man's lawyer has confirmed.

Newlywed Balleygawley teacher Michaela McAreavey, 27, was found strangled to death in the bath of her hotel room on 10 January 2011.

The Irish language teacher had been holidaying with husband John McAreavey, whom she had married just days earlier.

Detectives have alleged she was attacked as she returned to her room alone and disturbed a burglary at the Legends Hotel, on the Indian Ocean island luxury resort area of Grand Gaube.

No-one has been convicted of the murder of Mrs McAreavey, who was the daughter of famed Co Tyrone Gaelic football manager, Mickey Harte.

A lawyer for former security guard Dassen Narayen told the PA news agency that his client had been detained on Tuesday.

Narayen had worked at the hotel where Mrs McAreavey was found dead, Legends, which was later renamed LUX Grand Gaube Hotel.

Vikash Teeluckdharry said Narayen was questioned about allegations of theft at the Legends Hotel around the time of Mrs McAreavey's murder.

He said his client denied any wrongdoing.

Following Mrs McAreavey's death in 2011, Narayen was initially charged with conspiracy to murder, but that was later reduced to a larceny charge.

The larceny charge was struck out in 2013.

Two former workers at the luxury resort - Sandip Moneea and Avinash Treebhoowoon - were acquitted of murder after a high-profile trial on the holiday island in the summer of 2012.

Mr Teeluckdharry said Narayen was questioned about the same 2011 larceny allegations on Tuesday.

"He was questioned under warning, he was detained, he was arrested," he told PA.

The lawyer said Narayen was taken to hospital during his police detention and was being treated for long-standing health issues in a hospital in the capital Port Louis on Tuesday night.

Mr Teeluckdharry claimed that police in Mauritius were attempting to suggest there had been a major development in the murder case.

"This is all nonsense," he said. "There is nothing new."

He said his client was innocent.

"He's denied this from day one and it's the same situation today," he said.

UTV News has approached police in Mauritius for comment.

Honeymoon murder: Michaela McAreavey's husband wants cleared men to be retried

John McAreavey's wife Michaela was strangled in Mauritius just 10 days after they married in 2011.

Senior Ireland correspondent @skydavidblevins

Tuesday 31 December 2019 06:15, UK

The husband of an Irish woman murdered in Mauritius nine years ago wants two men acquitted of her murder retried.

John and Michaela McAreavey were on their honeymoon in 2011 when he returned to their hotel room and found her strangled.

Mrs McAreavey, the daughter of Tyrone Gaelic football coach Mickey Harte, had been married to Mr McAreavey for just 10 days.

He told Sky News: "For me, unfortunately I have to live with the events of that day every day.

"They're in my head and there's not too many days go by now, even at this stage… nine years on when I don't think about different little elements."

Soon after her murder, police in Mauritius said Mrs McAreavey, 27, had disturbed burglars in her hotel room and been strangled.

Two men, Avinash Treebhoowoon and Sandip Moneea, were charged with her murder but acquitted after a trial on the island.

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Mr McAreavey, his sister Claire and Michaela's brother Mark have now recorded a podcast discussing the evidence against the two accused.

It raises questions about the "not guilty" verdicts and they are urging authorities in Mauritius to order a retrial.

Mr McAreavey said: "They have to take that opportunity, they have to take that risk… because you have Michaela, who was a young woman, 27 years of age, visiting their island on her honeymoon and she was brutally murdered in a hotel room.

"For them to just leave things the way it is now is completely unacceptable so I would appeal to them to essentially start doing their job again. At least give Michaela and our families another chance at justice."

More than 100,000 people have downloaded the podcast and Mr McAreavey has received messages of support from all over the world.

He says two Mauritian prime ministers vowed to see justice done and he is calling on them to honour that commitment.

He said: "It's very hard to say, 'Yes I have hope that justice will be delivered' given the experience that we've had, but I will continue to press the issue, I will continue to ask the questions.

"Until someone can tell me that there is literally nothing else we can do here, I will just continue.

"For me personally, I always felt that this is the least that Michaela deserved."

Former hotel worker acquitted of murder of Michaela McAreavey has been rearrested

Mauritian police confirmed sandeep mooneea had been taken in for questioning.

Michaela McAreavey (27) was strangled in her room at the Legends Hotel in Mauritius on January 10 2011. Her husband has long campaigned for justice.

A former hotel worker acquitted of the murder of Irish honeymooner Michaela McAreavey has been rearrested by detectives in Mauritius investigating the case, his lawyers have said.

Mauritian police confirmed Sandeep Mooneea had been taken in for questioning by officers examining the case of Mrs McAreavey.

Mooneea and another man were found not guilty of the murder after a high-profile trial on the holiday island in summer 2012.

Police have not confirmed what suspected offence Mooneea is being questioned over.

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Neelkanth Dulloo, counsel for Mooneea, told the PA news agency his client had been arrested but he said he was unaware of the specific basis for the questioning.

Mr Dulloo and other lawyers representing Mooneea have also written to the island's commissioner of police raising concerns.

The lawyers said that Mooneea “has been arrested today April 19”.

They wrote: “I humbly beg you sir to refer the present matter to the honourable director of public prosecutions for advice.

“Section 19A does not give the police powers to arrest a person acquitted by the jury unless the hurdles of fresh and compelling evidence are met to the required standard.

“May I remind you that ‘compelling evidence’ means evidence which is (a) reliable; (b) substantial and (c) highly probative in the context of the issues in dispute at the trial.”

Investigation

A spokesman for the Mauritian police, who did not use the term arrest, said: "Investigation by police is progressing regarding the Michaela Harte McAreavy case. Mr Sandeep Mooneea has been brought in and is being interrogated."

Mrs McAreavey, 27, was strangled in her room at the Legends Hotel in Mauritius on January 10 2011.

The teacher, who had married husband John 10 days earlier, was attacked after she returned to her room alone and was disturbed a burglary.

No-one has been convicted of murdering the daughter of Gaelic football manager Mickey Harte.

Mooneea and his co-accused in the 2012 murder trial, Avinash Treebhoowoon, worked as cleaners in the hotel at the time of the killing.

The new development in the case comes weeks after another former hotel employee - ex-security guard Dassen Narayanen — was charged with theft in relation to the McAreaveys’ room.

Narayanen, 37, from Royal Road, Plaine des Papayes on the Indian Ocean island, was remanded in custody charged with conspiring with another hotel employee to steal a magnetic key card to the room occupied by Mrs McAreavey and her husband John to commit larceny.

He was been admitted to hospital several times during his detention for mental health issues and his lawyer has criticised the way he has been treated by police.

Campaign for justice

John McAreavey has pursued a long campaign for justice and in 2017 offered a two million Mauritian rupee (€50,000) reward for information leading to a successful conviction.

Narayanen's lawyer, Vikash Teeluckdharry, wrote to the prime minister of Mauritius, Pravind Jugnauth, on Tuesday, outlining ten specific concerns about his client's detention.

The letter, seen by the PA news agency, said: “I fervently call for your intervention in order to better protect the integrity of the criminal procedure in Mauritius, particularly the police procedures in the absence of the modern safeguards, which are available in more advanced countries such as Britain.”

Mr Teeluckdharry outlined further concerns about the handling of the overall investigation. He said he would be sending a copy of the letter to Northern Ireland's Justice Minister, Naomi Long.

Police in Mauritius have previously denied mistreating Narayanen in custody.

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Irish tourists shun Mauritius islands where Michaela Harte was murdered

Irish honeymooners are continuing to shun the island of mauritius as a potential destination, since the murder o....

Irish honeymooners are continuing to shun the island of Mauritius as a potential destination, since the murder of Michaela Harte eight months ago.

Travel agents in Dublin told the Irish Independent that the level of business at the four star Legends resort has fallen significantly, since the January murder occurred.

“Up until recently, 1,000 couples (a year) travelled to the Legends resort -- in the last five-years, it was one of the big sellers out of Ireland," Brian McCarthy, from We Travel To, a Topflight subsidiary told the Irish Independent. McCarthy now estimates that a mere 100 couples will have travelled to the resort this year. _________________ Read More: Prayers offered for Michaela Harte at Knock Shrine as murder trial continues Tragic Michaela Harte murder trial has no CCTV evidence Tragic Michaela Harte buried in her wedding dress ________________ Agents also said newly married couples are also opting for lower-cost all-inclusive packages. Joanne Coll, with Twohigs Worldwide Holidays told the newspaper that the Irish tourists have been turned off the exclusive resort.

"It will bounce back. The Irish market has been the worst affected by the tragedy," Coll told the Irish Independent.

Michaela Harte (27) the daughter of Mickey Harte, the Tyrone GAA manager was murdered in her hotel suite on January 10, when she and her husband John were on honeymoon.

Meanwhile charity efforts for the Michaela Foundation got underway recently when members of Drumragh GAA club,  kicked a ball from their grounds in Omagh overnight to the gates of Croke Park in a bid to raise money for the charity, which supports disadvantages children.  

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Has Mauritius lost its allure?

I t is both sad and ironic that the Irish Independent last week featured Mauritius in a short article with the headline "The ultimate destination for newlyweds", shortly before news emerged of Michaela McAreavey's murder, apparently by thieves she disturbed in her hotel room.

The article highlighted the fact that Michaela, 27, a former Rose of Tralee contestant and her new husband, John McAreavey, 30, an accountant and Gaelic footballer, had been staying at the five-star Legends resort in the small fishing village of Grande Gaube in the northwest of the island. The beach hotel was voted the number one destination among Irish honeymooners last year. Even though three male employees of Legends were quickly arrested and provisionally charged with murder, Mauritius will have its work cut out to regain its reputation as a safe honeymoon and wedding destination.

A large number of journalists have descended on Mauritius since the murder was reported, and there have been several features in UK newspapers with the theme of "paradise lost". An article published in the Independent on Saturday, headlined "The Dark Side of Mauritius" (later changed to "The Dark Side of a Paradise Island"), claimed that violent crime, fuelled by drink, drugs and poverty, had increased significantly since the author, Tony Smart, first paid a visit to the island in 1994 before returning to work in 2006. He revealed that part of the reason why he had recently left Mauritius for good was because "my girlfriend had been robbed and attacked on the way to her early morning swim in the beautiful Indian Ocean at Flic en Flac, another tourist hot spot."

Not all commentators agree with this. Susie Freeman, founder of Susie Freeman Travel, which provides packages to Mauritius and other Indian Ocean destinations, told the Guardian: "I always emphasise what a safe destination this is, and hope that this is a deeply tragic and one-off incident." The Foreign Office appears to agree, issuing advice on its website which is not all that different to that about most parts of the UK.

Certainly, this is the first time a tourist has been killed in Mauritius . All the signs are of a petty crime gone tragically wrong. McAreavey had returned to her hotel room after her lunch to retrieve some biscuits from the fridge – her husband had remained in the restaurant to take in the spectacular view of the bay. By all accounts, she put up a fierce struggle but the compression applied to her neck by one of her attackers to stop her screaming resulted in her death.

Mauritians working in the tourism industry will be very concerned about the verdict. The country's global reputation as a high-end destination is at stake – not only in the eurozone but also the new markets in China, India and Russia that are currently being targeted. As recently as November, at the World Travel awards event in London, Mauritius was voted "world's best island destination", and a big dividend was expected.

The segment of the Mauritian tourist sector involved in weddings and honeymoons has been an important factor in driving up national income – at $12,356 per head it is the sixth-highest in Africa – because in large part it created Mauritius's image as the "paradise island" in the Indian Ocean. Political and business leaders in Mauritius are well aware that the country's favourable perception by foreigners is not just important for the hospitality industry, but also for other economic sectors, such as real estate and financial services, as the country attempts to position itself as the gateway between the new growth economies of Africa and Asia.

The late Ernest Gellner, a social anthropologist, observed that the transition to modernity and affluence (of which he broadly approved as long as it was supported by a strong welfare state) is often a painful one. Rapid social change of the sort Mauritius has experienced, especially in the last 20 years, often creates significant disruption to the social structure. Certain types of opportunistic crime, especially pilfering, burglary, assault and muggings, will increase as the mechanisms of social control traditionally performed by communities and extended families weaken. McAreavey's murder has held up a mirror for Mauritians to look at their society, and some of them do not like what they see.

Pressure on politicians in this small Indian Ocean island democracy is always intense, but never more so now that it is felt that Mauritius's international reputation is at stake. Prime Minister Ramgoolam 's call on Friday for the restoration of the death penalty for those convicted of murder in his country is a sign of the times.

• Michaela McAreavey
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