Madeleine McCann – Murat charge imminent

Article by Toby Serter

Wednesday 11th July 2007, 12:04

Prime suspect Robert Murat is expected to face charges for the disappearance of Madeleine McCann.

Portuguese police have indicated that the man questioned several weeks ago is someone that they have further evidence of and that they intend to press charges very soon.

Robert Murat is the only suspect to have so far been named in the investigation into the four-year-old's presumed abduction from her family's rented apartment in the Algarve resort of Praia da Luz on May 2.

Murat, a British expat, lives in a villa around 160 metres from the Ocean Club complex where the McCann family were staying. He allegedly disappeared for four days immediately following the disappearance of Madeleine and the suspect attended Portimao police station for questioning for a fourth time this morning.

Madeleine disappeared, he was questioned for 12 hours In the second week after, and it last month emerged that he had given a second DNA sample to police.

Today, Tuck Price, who is acting as Mr Murat's spokesman, said they had anticipated the further questioning, which he described as "part of the process".

He said Mr Murat hoped the development marked the beginning of the end of police classification of him as a suspect - or "arguido" - in the Portuguese justice system, adding that he had been released over lunch but would return for further questioning later today.

"He says they are just going through everything again, but he sounds well and I'm sure it's just a routine thing that they have to do," he added.

Portuguese police refused to comment, and a spokesman for Madeleine's parents, Kate and Gerry McCann, said they also had no comment to make.

Mr Murat, who is half Portuguese, said he helped the police with translation in the early stages of the investigation. He and his friends have persistently maintained that he had nothing to do with Madeleine's disappearance, and he has not been charged with any offence.

The British child is believed to have been abducted from her bed as her parents dined at a nearby tapas bar.

The McCanns, of Rothley, Leicestershire have run a high-profile appeal for information about her whereabouts, backed by sports stars and wealthy business people.

They have made trips to Morocco and around Europe to appeal for help, and also had a brief audience with the Pope in Rome.

However, despite a number of reported sightings of Madeleine in Portugal and elsewhere, police investigating her disappearance appear to be without clear leads.

 

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