Fifth suspect arrested over Michaela key

Seenarain Mungoo (39) is the second security officer from the five-star resort to have been linked to the killing of the 27-year-old teacher from Co Tyrone.

He is the fifth man to be arrested in connection with the murder of Michaela last week at the Legends Hotel in Mauritius.

The Mauritian MCIT (Major Crime Investigation Team) are questioning his involvement with the magnetic key card that was used to access Michaela's room on January 10, the day of her murder.

questioned

Mungoo is believed to have been the last person to see the electronic key to room 1025 before it disappeared on January 7, the day before Michaela and her husband John McAreavey (26) arrived.

Mungoo, who is also known as Soojit, will appear in Mapou District Court tomorrow, where it is understood that he will be temporarily charged with "conspiracy to commit an unlawful act".

He was questioned at the start of the investigation and was released last week.

But police arrested him yesterday afternoon at his home in Petit Raffray, the same village that Michaela's alleged murderer, Sandip Mooneea (41), is from. Mungoo's arrest came just hours after another security guard was charged over the killing for conspiracy.

Dassen Narainen (26) appeared in court yesterday as it emerged that he had asked to be assigned duty in the area of the honeymooners' room.

His request seemed suspicious as there was no apparent explanation for the move.

The following day, he asked for sick leave as he had reportedly hurt his leg and he was not seen until his arrest.

"Narainen was not supposed to be in the vicinity of the room that day," Inspector Ranjit Jokhoo of the MCIT said.

"He was supposed to be on duty at the entrance gate to the hoel but he had changed beats with a colleague, which is why we first questioned him.

"He has given a statement about his movements on the day.

"We want to know who took the card from security, it is supposed to be kept in the control room at all times and the security people said nobody could have taken it.

"Our investigation has led us to believe that he gave it to others and they were all acting together."

Narainen was remanded in police custody for another week as were the three initial suspects, hotel attendant Avinash Treebhowoon (29), floor supervisor Moonea and room attendant Raj Theekoy (33).

Theekoy was charged with conspiracy last week while the other two were charged with murder.

Scream

Theekoy said he heard a scream from room 1025 and saw the two other suspects leave the honeymooners' room.

Police believe he may have been keeping watch for the two killers.

Treebhowoon confessed that he had entered the room with the intention to steal money from the couple, and that he had attacked the daughter of Tyrone GAA manager Mickey Harte when she caught him in the act.

He said that Moonea strangled her while he held her feet, and that they then placed her in the bath and left the tap on, possibly to disguise the murder.

Moonea maintains he was not in the room when the killing took place.

hnews@herald.ie