YESTERDAY (THURSDAY) marked a critical date in the long investigation into the disappearance of Madeleine McCann as the public prosecutor of the Portimão Court was expected to announce his decision about the future of the case.
One of two decisions will have to be made – either the case is filed and all of those who were named arguidos are officially cleared, with the case being released from the constraints of the secrecy of justice and, therefore, available for public consultation, or the investigation has to go on for another six months before a final decision has to be announced.
The arguidos in this case, Gerry and Kate McCann and Robert Murat, will remain as arguidos if the second option is chosen by the Public Prosecutor.
This is critical for Gerry and Kate McCann, who have announced their desire to return to Portugal to clear their name and revitalise public interest in the search for Madeleine through new events and a revamp of the Find Madeleine campaign website.
According to Clarence Mitchell, the McCann’s spokesman, quoted recently by a British daily newspaper “they hope to be re-interviewed by the British police and have the chance of clarifying some of the misunderstandings from their previous statements to the Portuguese PJ”.
The lawyers hired after they were named arguidos at the beginning of September and the McCanns are expected to have meetings during the next few days to analyse the best way for them to be cleared from their arguido status.
They consider that this is the only way for them to re-focus on the search for their missing daughter with the sympathy and help of the public opinion in Portugal.
Investigators dismissed
The new strategy is based on the strong belief of Gerry and Kate that Madeleine’s abductor is keeping her alive and that stronger appeals and more awareness from the public may help to find her.
Meanwhile the McCanns announced the dismissal of Metodo 3 from the case just before the Christmas celebrations.
The mixed information that was released for several weeks by the Barcelona-based private investigators, the failure of the targets they made public, as well as pressures from some of the financial supporters of the Madeleine campaign, led to their dismissal.
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.
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