Murat 'told he is to be cleared over missing Madeleine'
Robert Murat, the first person to be declared an official suspect by police investigating the disappearance of Madeleine McCann, has been told he is to be cleared, it was reported today.
British expat Mr Murat, who lives with his mother in a villa less than 100m from the spot where Madeleine was last seen, was taken in for questioning by police 11 days after the four-year-old disappeared in May.
Police searched his house and garden using specialist sniffer dogs after suspicions were aroused over his interest in the case.
Murat, 33, whose father is Portuguese, had earlier offered his services as a translator to police working on the case and became a familiar sight around the crime scene in the days after Madeleine’s disappearance.
After questioning the property consultant for several hours at their local headquarters in the town of Portimao, Portugal’s Policia Judiciaria (PJ) declared him an “arguido” – or official suspect – in the case.
They imposed restrictions on his movement and took him in for further questioning later. He has never been formally arrested or charged.
Madeleine went missing from her family’s rented holiday apartment in Praia da Luz on the Algarve on the night of May 3 while her parents Gerry and Kate were eating tapas in a restaurant nearby.
The McCanns were themselves declared arguidos after tests on DNA samples found in their hire car were taken as suggesting Madeleine’s body had been transported in the vehicle.
They strenuously deny any involvement.
Today the respected Portuguese weekly newspaper Sol reported that Mr Murat had now been told that police have no case against him.
But he is to remain an arguido until the investigation is complete to avoid compromising other ongoing inquiries, the newspaper said.
Mr Murat was unavailable for comment today.
Detectives are reported to be investigating the McCanns’ movements in the hours immediately leading up to Madeleine’s disappearance amid claims that there is a “missing six hours” where Madeleine was not seen by anyone outside their group of friends.
But today a source close to the McCanns gave the most detailed account yet of where the family had been on the afternoon of May 3 and insisted there were both written records and witnesses to prove it.
The last photograph of Madeleine was taken by Mrs McCann at exactly 2.29pm on May 3, sitting laughing in the sunshine dabbling her feet in the pool at the Ocean Club complex in Praia da Luz with her father by her side.
The digital time reading on the photograph shows 1.29pm, but it is understood the camera clock was exactly an hour out and had not been reset.
The McCanns joined friends for dinner at around 8.20pm that evening after putting Madeleine and her younger twin siblings Sean and Amelie to bed.
The couple are understood to have told police that Madeleine spent much of that afternoon at a kids’ club in the resort while her parents relaxed, Gerry playing tennis with the resort’s full-time professional while Kate stayed by the pool.
The source said that Madeleine had eaten at the kids’ club before being picked up by her parents two-and-a-half hours before they themselves went for dinner.
The last time the couple say they saw Madeleine was when Mr McCann went back to check on her shortly after 9pm that night.
He now believes her abductor could have been hiding in the apartment, yards away from him, while he did so.
The source said: “Madeleine went to kids’ club in the afternoon, after the photograph was taken at the swimming pool.
“There are records for that, written records, and witnesses.
“Madeleine was there while Kate and Gerry played tennis with the tennis professional and other witnesses.
“Madeleine had high tea at 5.30pm with staff at the kids club. She was picked up shortly before 6pm by Kate and Gerry.
“After that Kate and Gerry went home, got the kids ready for bed and got ready to go out for their meal.
“Kate was never alone with Madeleine that afternoon. There were always other witnesses present.”
