Cyprus Mail 3 June 2020 - by George Psyllides
Police at the scene of the murder in Chlorakas on April 10
Eight Syrian men were on Wednesday charged with premeditated murder and conspiracy to commit felony in the stabbing death of a 20-year-old Jamal Alhadz in Chlorakas, Paphos, in April.
A ninth suspect was charged for being an accessory after the fact.
Defence lawyers asked the court for time before entering a plea and the court adjourned until July 2.
Two other Syrians, 25 and 22, Walid Al Moustafa, 22, and Tarek Haj Halaf, 25, were arrested in the north, after attempting to flee to Turkey. They are expected to be handed over at some stage through the bicommunal technical committee on crime.
Prosecutor Andreas Aristides asked the court to remand the eight suspects in custody arguing they were flight risks.
He said the ninth man, 31, could be released under certain conditions. The 31-year-old was the owner of a car used by the suspects after the crime was committed.
The court remanded the eight in custody pending trial and released the 31-year-old on a €3,000 bond. He surrendered his travel documents and was ordered to report to his nearest police station five days a week.
According to police, the 20-year-old had been stabbed multiple times with a knife during an altercation in the Vrexi area on the coastal road between Chlorakas and Kato Paphos.
Police were notified of the incident but officers who went to the area could not find the 20-year-old.
They continued their investigation the next day and found him dead hidden in a riverbed.
Some of the suspects claimed they were trying to scare the 20-year-old and had tried to prevent the stabbing.
It is believed that the killing was related to matters of honour.
