I'm wondering if it would be wiser to be wary of those who contributed to Robert Murat becoming an arguido! For in the end I don't see they found anything that would disqualify him from acting as a translator. Was the whole thing a setup?
- You know that man?
- Yes, he presented himself to the GNR on Friday morning and offered his services as an interpreter. He is of English origin but speaks good Portuguese. He's called Robert Murat.
As the law demands, all foreign people interviewed by the police must have the benefit of an interpreter. In this investigation, the considerable number of interviews we had to conduct in record time forced us to call on the services of volunteers.
- And this guy, you checked him out? No criminal record or trouble with the law?
- No, no, it's all OK, but I didn't know he lived here. It's true that his house is on the route taken by the abductor.
- Stay here, carry on being friendly with him; I'm going to Portimão to see what we've got on him: we've got to find out more about this guy.
I immediately telephone the team to alert them. The Director of the Department of Criminal Investigation in Faro has to be involved in a meeting the same morning, where we will discuss the case of Robert Murat. We decide to request the latter's help again in order not to lose sight of him. We must act with the utmost speed, because Madeleine could be in one of the houses he has access to. The investigators continue to check the information we have about him.
Goncalo Amaral ... Chapter 7
I think Robert Murat drew the attention of the Policia Judiciaria to himself by behaviour which is outlined in the PJ files.
http://www.mccannpjfiles.co.uk/PJ/ROBERT-MURAT.htmBased on that information there would have been a dereliction of duty if he hadn't been fully investigated. That meant that to preserve his constitutional rights he had to be constituted arguido ~ as we have seen that didn't make him guilty ~ it allowed him to be interviewed 'under caution' with a lawyer present.
Even at that, his interview sessions were no walk in the park.
What you have to remember, is that we have the benefit of hindsight, whereas the people involved were doing it all in real time and were contributing what they experienced without knowing what information others were giving.