Lawyers call for inquiry into police handling of Michaela murder probe

Mayessen Nagapa-Chetty

LAWYERS in Mauritius have called for an independent inquiry into the police handling of the investigation into the murder of Michaela McAreavey.

A year after murder accused Sandip Mooneea and Avinash Treebhoowoon were found not guilty of murdering the honeymooner (pictured), defence counsel Rama Valayden has called for a "full-on inquiry on the police handling of the murder investigation by an independent judge".

Sanjeev Teeluckdharry, Ravi Rutnah and Mr Valayden – defence counsels for the two men who stood trial on a murder charge – held a public meeting in Riviere Du Rempart, Mauritius, yesterday where they said the major crime investigation team's "incompetence" was one of the major reasons why the case was not solved.

The 27-year-old Irish teacher was found dead in January 2011 in her hotel room on the paradise island. The only daughter of Tyrone football manager Mickey Harte, Michaela returned to her room for biscuits when she interrupted a robbery and was brutally murdered.