THE widower of Michaela McAreavey, who was murdered on honeymoon in Mauritius six years ago, has offered a £45,000 reward for information that brings her killer to justice.
Michaela McAreavey, daughter of the former Tyrone GAA manager Mickey Harte, was strangled and left in the bath in her hotel room in a Mauritian hotel on January 10, 2011.
Two hotel workers were tried and acquitted of her murder in July 2012.
In August 2016 the case file was returned to the police from the prosecutors office and both the Harte and McAreavey families decided to relaunch an appeal for "fresh and compelling new information" by making a direct appeal to the Mauritian people for anything that might lead to a retrial.
This morning, John McAreavey spoke at a press conference for the first time about the renewed appeal in Mauritius, flanked by Michaela's brother Mark Harte and John's sister Claire.
Mark Harte, John McAreavey, and Claire McAreavey at the press conference in Mauritius. (Picture: 'L'Express Maurice/Facebook)Launching the Rs 2 million, or £45,000, reward and fresh appeal for information that could find and convict Michaela's killers, Mr McAreavey said after six and a half years, there has been no conviction and now they are appealing to the Mauritian people.
"On January 8 2011, myself and my late wife travelled to Mauritius for our honeymoon," he said. "On January 10, Michaela was brutally murdered.
"As of today, almost six and a half years later, we have no conviction for this heinous crime," he added.
John McReavey arriving at the courthouse in May 2012 in the Mauritian capital of Port Louis for the start of the trial of two hotel employees charged with murdering Michaela. (Picture: Nicholas larche/AFP/GettyImages)"We need the support, we need the courage of the Mauritian people to come forward with whatever information you feel relevant to aid us in our quest.
"We will not relent until the people responsible for Michaela's brutal murder are served justice.
"Personally," Mr McAreavey said. "I believe that there are people within the island of Mauritius that know who is responsible and how this tragic event occurred."
Michaela and John McAreavey on their honeymoon in Mauritius. (Picture: Irish Post archive)"Michaela had her whole life ahead of her, so much life to live, so much love to give.
"Michaela is never going to come back into our lives but the pain of losing such a loved person is something we have to bear for the rest of our days.
"As a symbol of our determination to achieve justice, and to the extent that any information which we receive as part of this appeal leads to the successful conviction of the people responsible for Michaela's death, we're offering a reward of Rs 2 million."
Mark Harte also made a heartfelt plea to the people of Mauritius to look at their own families and consider their safety.
"The reality is that there are killers walking around in your villages and in your towns, killers of a young woman," he said.
"Are your families safe? This could be your wife, your daughter, your sister or your granddaughter.
"When you go home to your homes tonight, I want you to look at these young girls in your lives and I want you to reach into your heart and make Mauritius a safer place by bringing forward the information we require.
"Please be brave and come forward with the truth," he said.
