In July 2014, four men were made arguidos in the Madeleine McCann case.
Sergey Malinka was one, but shortly after, his arguido status was removed. This makes him the least interesting of the four, so I will clear him out to make things clearer regarding the other three.
I am not sure exactly when Sergey’s arguido status was lifted, but the removal comes up in news dated mid August 2014, so whatever evidence was obtained by Scotland Yard, it seems to have been straight forward to evaluate.
This leaves a point of minor interest. What was it Scotland Yard wanted to ask Sergey Malinka that merited arguido status?
In the original case, Robert Murat was made an arguido and a phone call between Robert and Sergey was timed at around 11.30 PM on 3rd May 2007. So there was suspicion by association.
When this link was published in the news, Kelsie Harris reported that Sergey had misappropriated funds from a company involving her husband, leading to the company folding, and that Sergey had a penchant for girls in the age range 14-16.
Sergey gave a statement that on 3rd May he was in his parents’ flat from around 6 PM and had not gone out again. He could not remember a phone call, but said if it happened, it was about arranging a meeting with Robert to discuss IT work that Sergey was carrying out for him.
Nothing was asked about the allegations made by Kelsie Harris, suggesting the police did not consider this relevant.
The police searched Sergey’s home, and took away computer materials for inspection. Nothing relevant to the McCann case was found, so these were returned.
On the 3rd Aug 2007 in Portimão, Martin Grime had sniffer dog Eddie inspect 10 cars potentially relevant in the case. One was Sergey’s Audi A4, registration 10 91 FP. (It happens to appear as the 9th car in the video.) Eddie showed no interest in Sergey’s car.
On 20th March 2008, Sergey’s Audi was fire bombed in the early hours of the morning, and the pavement beside it was sprayed with the word FALA (talk). Whilst this looks suspicious, the most likely solution is simple and does not imply any guilt on Sergey’s part. However, without evidence to prove that is what happened, libel laws prevent disclosure of this solution.
Sergey was one of those receiving sums from various parties in relation to slander. The dates and amounts are unimportant, but clearly a considerable body of fiction has been injected into Sergey’s story.
The next date was July 2014, when Sergey was made an arguido. The media speculation about this was long, and frankly, most of it looks like uninformed speculation, therefore I will not waste time in considering it.
Why it was deemed necessary to constitute Sergey as an arguido is baffling, particularly in light of the rapid removal of arguido status.
In December 2014, both Robert Murat and Michaela Walczuch were questioned, as witnesses.
From the list of people questioned in the second half of 2014, my first take on what was going on is that Scotland Yard was simply being meticulous. It looks like a long and systematic review of everything. From the number of questions reportedly asked, SY seemed to be going into more detail than the original investigation.
The only nugget of information that came out of the venture by SY was that a car belonging a relative of Sergey was searched by British sniffer dogs. That car is allegedly the car of Svetlana Malinka, Sergey’s mother. Svetlana is in the PJ Files as she worked as a cleaner for a company not associated with the Ocean Club, and occasionally cleaned one apartment near the top of block 5.
If the car was Svetlana’s, it reinforces the notion that SY was simply being diligent. Checking Sergey’s mother’s car 7 years on is hardly likely to be as a result of a lead. It is just as well Sergey’s Audi had already been scrutinised, otherwise there would be another rumour opportunity.
The media sources have not reported that the flat that belonged to Sergey’s parents was searched by sniffer dogs, either in 2007 or in 2014. I do not know if the parents still live there.
What is baffling me is why arguido status? I am equally baffled as to what could have been provided to rule Sergey out so quickly.
Shining In Luz 