Defendant may sue police following torture claim
Avinash Treebhoowon arrives at the Supreme Court in Port Louis, Mauritius on day Nine of the trial, for the murder of Irish citizen Michaela McAreavy who was murdered on her honeymoon a year ago. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Friday June 1, 2012. See PA story IRISH McAreavey. Photo credit should read: Paul Faith/PA Wire
THE LAWYER FOR one of the men cleared of the murder of Michaela McAreavey has said his client may launch legal action against the Mauritian police.
Sanjeev Teeluckdharry, who acted for Avinash Treebhoowoon during the trial in Mauritius, said no decision had yet been made on whether to seek compensation.
Treebhoowoon alleged during the trial that his client was tortured into confessing to the murder.
The lawyer expressed sympathy for the family of Michaela McAreavey, who he suggested had not yet received justice.
“We are very sad for Michaela McAreavey’s family,” he said on RTE. “But we are satisfied that the police have demonstrated incompetence in this matter [...] I’m sorry to say that the Mauritian police force has made the national flag to fly at half mast.”
He said the trial had been “an ordeal of 18 months” for his client.
Teeluckdharry called for the investigation into the murder of McAreavey, whose body was found in a bedroom at the five-star Legends hotel during her honeymoon, to be reopened “so we can find justice at the end of the tunnel.”
The lawyer also said he did not regret a line of questioning in which he brought up a sex manual found among McAreavey’s possessions, appearing to suggest that her death may have been an accident.
“We are defence lawyers, we have to explore all possible avenues. We have to put everything in front of the jury,” he said.
These pictures show Treebhoowoon and his fellow defendant Sandip Mooneea celebrating after their acquittal:
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Monday 20 May 2013
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