AUTHORITIES IN Mauritius have charged a fifth man in connection with the murder of Michaela Harte on the Indian Ocean island earlier this month.
Seenarain Mungoo (39), a security officer at Legends Hotel, was arrested on Wednesday. He appeared at Mapou District Court yesterday where he was charged with conspiracy and was remanded in custody.
Ms Harte, the daughter of Tyrone senior football manager Mickey Harte, was found strangled in her hotel room on January 10th at the exclusive hotel in Grand Gaube, a fishing village in the north of the island. She was on honeymoon with her husband John McAreavey when she died.
Mr Mungoo is from Petit Raffray – the same village as Legends room service manager Sandip Moneea (41), one of two men who is charged with murdering Ms Harte.
The three other men who have been charged are room attendant Avinash Treebhoowoon (29), charged with murder; room attendant Raj Theekoy (33), charged with conspiracy to commit murder; and security guard Dassen Narayanen (26), charged with aiding to commit a crime.
Shortly after being charged, police say Mr Treebhoowoon made an admission of guilt in relation to Ms Harte’s murder. However, he said later he was coerced by the police into making the statement.
Investigating officers from the major crime investigation team suspect the latest accused was involved in providing the electronic card used on January 10th to open Ms Harte’s hotel room.
Police confirmed that a sixth person had been brought in for questioning in relation to the incident, but had not yet been charged.