The strange case of Robert Murat

There are a few people who consider Mrs Murat had set this up incase any info came in that might incriminate her son, however, I believe she had set it up so if someone had information on the mcs (or anyone else for that matter)they could write down the info, kind of like anonymously. After all, who would go to RMs mother with info that could implicate her son, they'd go to the police instead.
IMO

I'm not sure what I think about this.

When there is something as heart-rending as a missing child who supposedly has been abducted, people will fall over themselves to give what information they may have. Maybe they might have a criminal record themselves but that wouldn't (or shouldn't) stop them from doing what they can to help.

Perhaps Mrs Murat was just doing her bit to help and felt that British holidaymakers would prefer to deal with an English speaker.

Just seen this on twitter,

http://www.jn.pt/PaginaInicial/Seguranca/Interior.aspx?content_id=4248252

Google Translated...

MARISA RODRIGUES | 11/19/2014 - 00:30

Robert Murat again being investigated in the disappearance of Madeleine McCann. This time is one of seven people who Scotland Yard asked to be heard because they are "special interest."

Robert's wife, Michaela Walczuch, and the ex-husband of this, Luís António, also on the list of people identified to testify under the Fifth letter rogatory process that is being investigated in the UK. List that has received the green light from the Public Ministry (MP) and was referred to the Judiciary Police (PJ) South for execution. The three know Sergey Malinka, a Russian citizen accused constituted in July at the request of the British authorities in a previous letter rogatory.

Read more in edition e-paper or the print edition

From Joana..

http://joana-morais.blogspot.com/2014/11/english-want-to-question-first-ever.html

On the assumption that this information is correct, it was what I suspected, and was expecting to hear.  The gardener that was allegedly interviewed last week had his interview with the PJ on the 12th May - the same day that Murat was desperate to hire a car.  Murat was also the translator in the interview. Murat was announced as a suspect a couple of days later.

From the comments on that thread, it seems that a few people assumed that the gardener might have seen something on the way to the bar.  That's not what I thought.  He was living up in Espiche, quite some distance north from the McCanns' apartment, and headed to a bar also in Espiche.  At least, that is what he stated in his interview.  I was interested in his statement that he went out just after 9:30pm, said he went to a bar, and had contact with a British friend who had a mobile home parked in the camping area in Espiche.  His friend left the area with his mobile home on the following Monday.

Not saying the gardener or his friend were up to anything - I don't have the evidence to support that claim.

Yes assuming this article is true. Slightly wary when the SY are not giving a 'running commentary' on anything.

I'm hoping it's correct as I always thought that if this was a 'legit and honest' investigation (which I believe it is), then they would always have to come back and speak to Robert Murat again.

Interesting.

If the McCanns are being kept out of the loop, this must be torture. First the police are planning more interviews which were due to take place next week, then the gardener was interviewed last week, then the interviews won't be going ahead but look who we have here ...Robert Murat.

All the misinformation and fake suspects have been eliminated and now we we have someone close to the centre of the case publicly named.

The noose is tightening.

Andrew wrote:From Joana..

http://joana-morais.blogspot.com/2014/11/english-want-to-question-first-ever.html

Thanks for link Andrew.

Yes interesting if true but where is the information coming from? making claims that have not been publicly announced by the police, because as they say, they 'do not give a running commentary'.

Remember this:

Madeleine world exclusive: 'Bring them all back to Portugal’

By: James Murray Published: Sun, May 5, 2013

ROBERT MURAT today appeals for Scotland Yard to stage a filmed reconstruction of all the events surrounding the disappearance of Madeleine McCann.

Marking the sixth anniversary of her abduction, the Algarve-based businessman says a 48-hour timeline would help police conducting a £4.5million review of the case.

Mr Murat, who was cleared as a suspect, said: “They need to start from the beginning.” So far the two-year review by more than 20 detectives in London has not led to a breakthrough.

Portugal’s authorities have not been persuaded to reopen the investigation, although Policia Judiciaria policewoman Helena Monteiro liaises regularly with officers from the Yard’s Operation Grange.

Mr Murat, 39, spoke to the Sunday Express while sipping tea in Casa ­Liliana, his elderly mother Jenny’s villa 150 yards from apartment 5a of the Ocean Club where Madeleine vanished.

He said: “They need to speak to everybody, including myself, and they need to get the Portuguese involved in a much more constructive way.

“To get somewhere now they need to have a joint team working here together in Praia da Luz. This is where it happened. It didn’t happen in England.

“The reconstruction should cover the critical period just before and after the abduction.”

Madeleine was three when she disappeared from the apartment at about 9.15pm while her parents Kate and Gerry McCann and seven friends ate at a tapas bar nearby. When the Judiciaria named the McCanns as suspects, they and their friends chose not to take part in a PJ-led reconstruction. It would be different now that they have been cleared, said Mr Murat.

He said: “A reconstruction is a real necessity. I am sure it would fill in some of the missing pieces of the jigsaw. Even now after all this time, the timeline is still confused.”

Thirteen days after Madeleine’s disappearance Mr Murat was named as a suspect. His mother’s home, where he lived then, was searched, his computers were taken, he was questioned for 19 hours by Portuguese police and his property business was wrecked.

His eagerness to help with the original investigation, helping police with translations, aroused a journalist’s suspicions. Three of the McCanns’ friends believed they saw him on the night Madeleine vanished but his mother confirmed to police he was with her all night at Casa Liliana.

After being cleared as a suspect in July 2008 he won substantial damages from newspapers.

Despite his ordeal he believes Madeleine’s fate should be uppermost in everybody’s minds as another anniversary passes.

He said: “You cannot lose sight of the fact that a child was taken and we need to know what happened to her.”

He is still willing to be interviewed by the review team, which has made no effort to contact him. “I have no problem with that whatsoever,” he said emphatically.

“I am available to help on the proper legal basis. I think everybody who was around at that time, holidaymakers and people at the Ocean Club, should be interviewed again. The timeline needs to be made crystal clear because there is still so much confusion, such a mess.”

Asked if he thought Madeleine’s fate would ever be known, he brushed back his thick dark brown hair, rubbed his tanned chin and said: “I hope so, I believe it will come out one day.” He said Portugal’s financial crisis means “if the British do want to get to the bottom of this, it is a case of funding the Portuguese”.

Mr Murat, who grew up in Devon and Portugal, now has a young family with wife Michaela. They were both victims of the relentless media frenzy when Madeleine vanished and it has left its scars. For the first time during the interview he became emotional and said in a whisper: “There is no way to describe the impact this has had on our lives. Six years later it still affects me. I wasn’t able to do much for years and years.

“It was difficult getting back on the horse, so to speak, and do the stuff I was doing before.”

His property business went, partly because his computers were held by the PJ for so long, but now he has built up Newteq, an Apple-authorised service provider on the Algarve. He said he and Michaela live a quiet life, staying away from some events because people still come up to him and say: “You’re that Mr Murat.”

Before 2007 he says he was one of those people who was always eager to help others, to get involved in the community. Now he is more guarded.

When the original police investigation was at its height, he bumped into a British man, Steve Carpenter, who persuaded him to meet the McCanns because they needed his language skills. He said: “I met Gerry and said: ‘I don’t know what to say, there is nothing I can say but I do speak Portuguese and English and I will help in any way I can’.”

He helped Portugal’s GNR military officers to search the Ocean Club apartments and translated statements from key witnesses, giving him a unique inside perspective on the case.

He said: “From the experiences of the interviews there are some points that could be looked at.

“There needs to be much more transparency, much more openness to dissipate a lot of the stuff that has been talked about on the internet and on blogs.”

He does not believe the results of the Yard’s work should be made available to the public.

“The Yard needs to get together with the Portuguese police and ­produce a final report,” he said. “They need to sit down together and come up with a final version, a structured report.

“The report should be done by the Portuguese with the support of the British.”

http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/397244/Madeleine-world-exclusive-Bring-them-all-back-to-Portugal



Last week Prime Minister David Cameron had a private meeting with the McCanns in London, promising them the review would not fall foul of budget cuts and giving them enough confidence to say on their website that they hope for a significant breakthrough in the months ahead.

On Friday night Kate and Gerry, both 45, gathered around a candle which burns night and day for Madeleine outside their home village of Rothley, Leicestershire. A 50-strong crowd supported them as they marked the anniversary with prayers with Madeleine’s ­siblings, eight-year-old twins Sean and Amelie.

Mr Murat said: “It must be a ­tremendously difficult time of year for them and of course as a human being you feel for them and for the loss of their daughter.

“At this time of year, like so many people on the Algarve, we have been thinking about this poor girl.

“I just hope in the months ahead the PJ are fully involved because in my view that is the best way of solving the mystery.”

At St Vincent’s church in Praia da Luz, where Kate and Gerry went regularly, worshippers also prayed for Madeleine, whose 10th birthday is on May 12.

Clarence Mitchell, the McCanns’ spokesman, declined to comment on Mr Murat’s views last night, saying the couple were happy with how Scotland Yard is conducting the review.

http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/397244/Madeleine-world-exclusive-Bring-them-all-back-to-Portugal

This is interesting. Its getting closer to home. Maybe it is being leaked in this way to gradually step up the pressure

Andrew wrote:Yes assuming this article is true. Slightly wary when the SY are not giving a 'running commentary' on anything.

I'm hoping it's correct as I always thought that if this was a 'legit and honest' investigation (which I believe it is), then they would always have to come back and speak to Robert Murat again.

Interesting.

Andrew - you are one of very few that has had faith in this investigation. I am gradually having more faith...

Thanks HelenMeg.

I just listen to this everyday - It does the trick

Seems Robert Murat has been kept in the dark and only heard the news through news reports ...............



19 November 2014 at 11:09am  


Madeleine McCann investigation: Robert Murat 'to be questioned again'

Robert Murat is expected to be questioned again in connection with the disappearance of Madeleine McCann, ITV News understands.
Speaking to ITV News this morning, Mr Murat confirmed that he had only learned of the news through Portuguese media reports.

Portuguese newspapers today published claims that Murat will be spoken to in the coming weeks.

This has also been confirmed to ITV News sources.
Murat won substantial libel damages from a number of media outlets after he was named as an arguido or suspect in the case in 2007.
He has always denied any involvement.
Murat is said to be one of seven people to be spoken to as a "person of interest".
His wife, Michaela Walczuck, and her former husband, Luis Antonio, are also understood to be on a list of people identified to give statements to the inquiry run by British police.
The people of interest and four witnesses were expected to be questioned in Faro next week.
However, due to legal difficulties those interviews have now been postponed.
Last updated Wed 19 Nov 2014
http://www.itv.com/news/2014-11-19/madeleine-mccann-investigation-robert-murat-to-be-questioned-again/

Now the BBC is reporting it as well:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-30115913

Madeleine McCann: Ex-suspect Murat 'faces new questions'

Police investigating the disappearance of British girl Madeleine McCann are to question former suspect Robert Murat, the BBC has learned.
British police are due to travel to Portugal to sit in on the questioning of eleven people of interest.
A source close to the case has told the BBC that two of the eleven are Mr Murat and his wife.
Mr Murat was named as an arguido, or, suspect, in the case in 2007 but was later cleared by Portuguese police.
He won substantial damages from various media organisations and has always denied any involvement in Madeleine McCann's disappearance.
Madeleine, of Rothley, Leicestershire, was three when she went missing from her family's holiday apartment on 3 May 2007.

Fingers crossed - this is looking hopeful. Imo Murat was set up to offer some help post 3/5 but as it happened, he was in a position to give far more help than originally envisaged.

Begiinning to sound like the Delphic oracle..

Very positive then if the BBC are now reporting it...

Another listen to Bon Jovi me thinks.

The SY net is getting smaller and smaller, tighter and tighter, after all the dross has been sieved out.

I like it.

From the Guardian.

http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/nov/19/madeleine-mccann-police-robert-murat

Madeleine McCann police to re-interview Robert Murat
British expatriate in Portugal listed by Scotland Yard as one of four witnesses for questioning says he will cooperate with inquiry

Brendan de Beer and Josh Halliday

The Guardian, Wednesday 19 November 2014 12.02 GMT

Robert Murat (picture)

Robert Murat outside London's high court after winning libel damages in 2008. Photograph: Max Nash/AP
Detectives investigating the disappearance of Madeleine McCann are set to re-interview Robert Murat, the British expatriate who was first questioned by police when the three-year-old went missing in 2007.

Murat has been identified as one of four witnesses to whom detectives want to speak after Scotland Yard reopened its investigation into the case.

Speaking to the Guardian from his home in Portugal on Tuesday, Murat said neither he nor his lawyer had been contacted by the police but he would cooperate. “My conscience is clear and I have no problem speaking to police again,” he said.

Asked whether he was concerned about facing yet another interrogation, he replied: “I have more important things to worry about, like running my business, paying my taxes and I also need to paint my house.”

Murat, an IT consultant on the Algarve, was the first person to be declared an arguido, or suspect, during the high-profile police search seven years ago. He was never arrested over Madeleine’s disappearance, and he later won several hundreds of thousands of pounds in libel damages from British newspapers.

A source close to the investigation told the Guardian on Wednesday that Murat had been listed as one of four witnesses by the Metropolitan police.

A spokeswoman for Scotland Yard said the force would not give a running commentary on the inquiry.

Helenmeg wrote:

Andrew - you are one of very few that has had faith in this investigation. I am gradually having more faith...

"One of the very few" ? Where do you get that from? Reading TCMOMM where all the whitewash and conspiracy merchants hang out ??

I've always had faith in the investigation, and I know I'm far from being the only one

Too many people who think SY are not conducting an above board investigation base their views on what they read in the press and on very dodgy "sources", imo ......

ETA: Also noted: the Guardian description of "witnesses".

Oh dear. I suspect bums may be squeaking in a certain Leicestershire village at the moment.

This brings the investigation squarely back to where it began, and would seem to indicate things have moved on from the investigating of and eliminating of the assorted waifs, strays and vagabonds back to the only place it could ever go back to if the investigation was going to actually achieve any meaningful result.

Whilst not directly affecting the McCann's, indirectly i think this is a pretty significant change of direction bringing things much closer to home for the team.

After all how could Murat be made an Arguido if the line of thinking was burglary gone wrong? He's not or never been a burglar so it wouldn't make sense for him to be made person of interest if that was the investigative train of thought.

Good to see you back Me, yes, we have come full circle and back to where the PJ started it would seem.

Agreed, only one of a few if you were at the other place and not allowed to say otherwise.

Hi Candy, thank you for the welcome.

Interestingly SY & the PJ had said absolutely nothing up to this point about Murat, there was nothing out there before this news broke today.

Complete radio silence.

In much the same way that there's been an absence of information of any kind from the investigations about the Tapas lot.

Just saying like.

Me wrote:Hi Candy, thank you for the welcome.

Interestingly SY & the PJ had said absolutely nothing up to this point about Murat, there was nothing out there before this news broke today.

I'm not sure that SY or the PJ have said anything about Murat now, have they?

It's been leaked from somewhere, hasn't it?

Not saying it isn't true (and hoping it is) but I don't think it's come from the police - at least not officially. Both SY and the PJ have said they won't be commenting on the progress of the investigation, so far as I know.

But yet there has been an ongoing series of reasonably accurate leaks pretty much right from the start, despite the official line of "no comment" on the record.

Given the scale of reporting i think it's safe to assume it is true with the BBC & the Guardian running with it.

If you want to wait for the official announcements that's fine.

I think on balance, i'm prepared to accpet that it's spot on right now.

Robert Murat could be interviewed again in Madeleine case        19-11-2014 12:46:00 ·    
British expat Robert Murat, the first person to be declared a suspect or arguido in the Madeleine McCann investigation back in 2007, is reported to be among the 11 persons of interest police want to speak to in the case.


 
Questioning of seven suspects and four witnesses had been slated to start next Monday, but was postponed on Tuesday evening due to what Portuguese authorities termed “legal issues.”
 
A source close to the investigation said Wednesday that Robert Murat and his wife Michaela had initially been listed as one of the four witnesses by the Met.
 
Speaking to The Portugal News on Wednesday, Robert Murat said neither he nor his lawyer had received a formal request to appear before detectives in the Algarve, but said he “would do so freely”.
 
“My conscience is clear and I have no problem speaking to the police again”.

 http://www.theportugalnews.com/news/robert-murat-could-be-interviewed-again-in-madeleine-case/33236