By: DAISY SAMPSON
daisy.sampson@the-resident.com
PORTUGAL’S ATTORNEY General has said no decision has been taken on the investigation into the disappearance of Madeleine McCann.
Fernando Pinto Monteiro said the case continued to be assessed, despite Portuguese media reports on Tuesday that police will close it due to lack of evidence.
Madeleine’s parents, Gerry and Kate McCann, are both arguidos, or people of interest to the investigation, along with Briton Robert Murat.
Mr Monteiro said the final report from the Policia Judiciaria (PJ) had been received by prosecutors, and it “will be the object of careful analysis and consideration”.
He added: “Public prosecutors will proceed to the overall analysis to determine whether or not other action is necessary or whether the conditions are sufficient to rule that the investigation be closed and a final ruling made.”
The statement noted that the case remained covered by judicial secrecy until mid-August.
The Correio da Manha newspaper said on Tuesday that sources within Portugal’s judicial police said they “do not have sufficient evidence to allow formal charges to be brought against the McCanns in the disappearance of their daughter”.
The Jornal de Noticias said the police did not have enough evidence to charge either the McCanns or Mr Murat with any wrongdoing. “The police have not found the guilty,” the paper added.
A spokesman for the PJ told The Resident: “We are aware of the situation. However, we do not know the origin of the information and claims in the Portuguese media. We are now looking into the claims.”
Private searches
McCann family spokesman, Clarence Mitchell, told the BBC the family was awaiting confirmation of the latest media reports and if true, the Portuguese authorities “must lift their arguido status as a priority”.
“If they are true, it’s to be welcomed that Kate and Gerry are not to face any charges,” he said. “It’s quite right. They are innocent of any involvement in Madeleine’s disappearance. They have suffered enough.”
Mr Mitchell said the family wanted to know whether police planned to stop searching for Madeleine and if so, their information should be made public so the McCanns could continue their private investigation.
“What happens to all those leads, all those contacts? There are thousands of pieces of information in those files,” he said.
The McCanns are due to go to the High Court on Monday to ask a judge to order some police files on the disappearance of their daughter to be released.
Robert Murat’s lawyer, Francisco Pagarete, said he had heard nothing from the Portuguese authorities about the case being closed.
Asked whether he would welcome such a development, Mr Pagarete said: “Yes, we will, but it depends on the way it’s going to be dropped. If it’s going to be dropped because there’s not enough evidence connecting my client to this case or if it’s going to be dropped because Robert hasn’t got any involvement in this case. Only the second way will make us happy.”
The Resident contacted Robert Murat, who said: “If this is true it would be fantastic but nobody has told me anything,” he said. “This has been said so many times to me we will just have to wait and see what happens.”
Meanwhile, Gonçalo Amaral, the inspector formerly responsible for coordinating the Madeleine McCann investigation, retired on Monday. He told Portuguese news agency Lusa: “The only way I can acquire freedom of expression is to leave the police.”
If you have any information on the whereabouts of Madeleine McCann, please contact the McCann helpline on 0034 902 300 213 or the Portuguese Police on 00351 282 405 400.
Do you have a view on this story? Email: editor@the-resident.com
1″>news
