|
03_VOLUMEIIIa_Page_798 |
 |
|
03_VOLUMEIIIa_Page_799 |
 |
Witness Statement
Najoua Chekaya
Date: 2007/05/09
Place: Praia da Luz - Lagos
Occupation: Aerobic Instructor
She comes to the process as a witness.
She worked as an aerobics instructor next to the Millenium
Restaurant swimming pool, close to the Tapas restaurant in P Da
L.
As she does not speak Portuguese, she is assisted by the
interpreter, Robert Murat.
Stated that she arrived in Portugal on 21st March 2007 for the
first time, having been recruited from England by the Mark
Warner company.
She was recruited to give aerobic classes, however she was also
asked to carry out a Quiz (game) twice a week (Tuesdays and
Sundays) in the Ocean Club Tapas restaurant.
She began her working day at about 08.15 near to the Millenium
restaurant until 08.45, then at 09.30 she walked to Lagos from
where she returned at about 11.30 and at about 11.45 went for
lunch at the Tapas restaurant.
In the afternoon she began work at 15.20 next to the Millenium
until 16.15 and then returned to the Tapas restaurant until
17.15 and then to the Millenium restaurant from 17.30 to 18.00.
She finished at about 18.15 and returned to the Tapas Bar for
dinner and at 21.00 did a kind of quiz with the guests who were
having dinner in the restaurant.
She remembers that last Tuesday at the end of the quiz, she was
invited to the table of nine guests who asked her to join them
for a drink.
She was at their table for about fifteen to twenty minutes and
it was there that she met Madeleine's father, who directly
invited her to the table, however, she does not know whether
Madeleines mother was also there.
When questioned, she said that they talked of banalities and she
did not notice any aspect or behaviour that was out of the
ordinary.
When questioned, she said that during the time that she was
there Madeleines father did not leave the table, neither did
any of the other guests, however, during this time one of the
chairs was always empty, that of someone who had had dinner and
left, not managing to indicate any identifying element about
this person.
When questioned, she said she was at the table from about 21.30
to 21.50.
She does not remember anyone from outside the resort having made
any questions about the functioning of the Ocean Club, or about
any particular service.
When questioned, she said that she had only seen Madeleine once
or twice and had merely said hello to her, no more than that.
When questioned, she said that she had never seen anyone
suspicious in the vicinity of the Ocean Club.
She knows nothing more about the subject.
Reads, ratifies, signs.
|
|
07_VOLUME_VI1a_Page_1841 |
 |
|
07_VOLUME_VI1a_Page_1842 |
 |
Witness statement: Najoua
Chekaya
Date: 20 June 2007 Time: 16h00 Place: Praia da Luz - Lagos
Officer: Jose Ricardo, Inspector
To the matter at hand she said:
--- She appears as a witness. Being a British national she does
not not know the Portuguese
language in oral or written form, there being present,
therefore, an interpreter Sra. Lidia N., PJ
employee/officer from DRPD/ADT.
--- In accordance with the statements made by her in this case,
on 9 May 2007, she confirms it
having been on the Tuesday, 1 May 2007, that she was invited to
the table of the group of which
the McCann couple were part, by Gerry himself.
--- That she recalls there being an empty place [seat] at the
table, not being certain if it had been
Madeleine's mother's place given that she is not sure if they
had met each other there at that time.
--- The photographs of the group of the McCann's friends having
been shown to her, the deponent
declares that from those photos seen she has some reservations
about David Payne [in that] while
she thinks he was also there, she had not noted his presence.
--- The question asked she declares not being certain who was
missing from the group.
Nothing more said. Read, ratifies and will sign, together with
the interpreter who assisted her. |
