Michaela case verdict in days
Michaela McAreavey on her wedding day
THE jury in the trial of two men accused of murdering Michaela Harte will deliver their verdict later this week.
After seven weeks, in a case which was orginally listed for just nine days, the family of Michaela McAreavey will hear the verdict delivered from Courtroom Five at Mauritius Surpreme Court.
Members of the McAreavey and Harte families have sat through the testimonies of more than 40 witnesses including the two men accused of her murder.
Hotel workers Avinash Treebhoowoon and Sandip Moneea both face up to 60 years in prison if they are found guilty of murdering the 27-year-old daughter of Tyrone GAA legend Mickey Harte.
During the past seven days the two defence barristers closed their cases while the State Prosecutor addressed the jury for the last time.
Today, Monday, the defence barristers will deliver their closing speeches to the jury.
Grotesque theories that pointed the finger at the widower of Michaela McAreavey during the trial of the men accused of her murder were an insult to her memory, a prosecutor said on Friday.
Mehdi Manrakhan, who insisted there should be no politics in pursuit of the truth, said the notions canvassed by defence lawyers about John McAreavey were short-lived and quickly abandoned after it was clear they were unfounded.
But during his closing submissions, the principal state counsel expressed concern the “unbefitting” episodes in the seven-week trial had served to confuse the minds of the jurors.
Insulting
He added: “If anything, they were very insulting to John and his family and to the memory of Michaela.
“The person who suffered the most in all this, as if he had not suffered enough after the death of the love of his life, Michaela, was undoubtedly John James McAreavey.”
Through the trial lawyers for accused Sandip Moneea and Avinash Treebhoowoon made a number of insinuations in court.
A police officer was asked about the sexual act erotic asphyxiation while there were also questions about the possible use of a belt found among the McAreaveys’ possessions.
Theories
Mr Manrakhan referred to both theories and also an attempt to claim that a couple seen rowing on grainy CCTV footage at the reception of Legends Hotel the day of the murder were the McAreaveys when police insisted they had proof the man and woman were actually two German holiday-makers.
“All the above theories were, fortunately for John and his family, short-lived and quickly abandoned one after the other,” added the prosecutor.
“But it is very unfortunate that we had to come to this as it should have been clear to one and all that these theories would never have reached very far and could only have been a source of confusion in the mind of the jury.”
As an emotional Mr McAreavey bowed his head in the public gallery, Mr Manrakhan praised him for the way he had travelled back to the island to give evidence.
“He came all the way from Northern Ireland with his family to seek justice for the wrongful murder of his beloved wife,” the prosecutor told the court.
“John also told us, members of the jury, that his life ended when her life ended. Members of the jury, there are no politics to truth.
“There are no politics to truth – there is right and there is wrong.
“I have no doubt whatsoever that when you consider the evidence, objectively and dispassionately, that you will reach the right decision that the two accused are guilty as charged.”
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Weather for Dungannon
Thursday 20 June 2013
Today
Light rain
Temperature: 11 C to 16 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: South
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 11 C to 16 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: West
