A Mauritian magistrate has ordered the police complaints bureau to investigate whether Michaela Harte murder accused Avinash Treebhoowoon was coerced into admitting involvement in her death last week.
Magistrate Bonomally made her ruling after Mr Treebhoowoon alleged in her court for a second time in a week that police had tortured and beaten him while in custody.
Mr Treebhoowoon is one of four employees from the exclusive Legends Hotel in Grand Gaube who have been charged in connection with Ms Harte’s murder in her hotel room on January 11th last.
During his first court appearance last week, the 29-year-old said he was innocent of murder and claimed that he had been assaulted while in police custody.
The magistrate ordered that a police doctor examine him. The doctor later said he could find no injuries consistent with being beaten up.
Police said Mr Treebhoowoon had voluntarily admitted in an interview that he and a second co-accused, Sandip Mooneea, had killed Ms Harte when she found them trying to rob her room.
Counsel for Mr Treebhoowoon, Ravi Rutna, today presented a motion alleging police brutality against his client and asked the magistrate to allow him to make a statement.
Mr Treebhoowoon explained that after his January 11th hearing, he was taken to the Major Crime Investigation Team (MCIT) offices in the capital Port Louis where he was subjected to police brutality for a second time.
“I was undressed and laid on a table. There was a bucket full of water next to the table. Continuously, my head was plunged into the bucket," said Mr Treebhoowoon. "At the same time, I was beaten up, thus forcing me to confess."
Mr Treebhoowoon, a room attendant, and floor superviser Sandip Mooneea, (41), have been charged with murder. Room attendant Raj Theekoy (33), and security guard Dassen Narainen (26), have been charged with conspiracy to murder.
Prosecutors officially charged Mr Narainen this morning with conspiring with Mr Treebhoowoon and Mr Mooneea to commit murder. He was arrested yesterday, a week after his three co-accused.
Police said Mr Treebhoowoon and Mr Theekoy have confessed to the charges against them. The remaining two men are maintaining their innocence.
The four suspects arrived at Mapou District Court under heavy police escort. They have been remanded in custody until February 8th when they can apply for bail.
The funeral of Ms Harte, a 27-year-old Irish language teacher, was held on Monday at the same rural church in Co Tyrone, St Malachy’s in Ballymacilroy, where she married last month.