in-cyprus 26 June 2020 -Josephine Koumettou
Police are investigating the murder of a 29-year-old private security guard that took place shortly after 10 pm on Thursday night outside his father’s home in Ormideia, Phileleftheros reports.
The victim was reportedly an eyewitness and was injured in the quadruple murder in Ayia Napa that took place on June 23, 2016.
According to the police, around 11 pm last night they received information at the Famagusta police station that gunshots had been fired in Ormideia and one person was injured.
Members of the Famagusta CID and the crime prevention unit and of the Xylofagou and Xylotymbou police stations sped to the scene. Following investigations, it was found that a 29-year-old private security guard was injured by a firearm while on the patio of his father’s home.
Ambulances from the British Bases and the police arrived at the scene who attempted to resuscitate him but the man succumbed to his injuries.
The crime scene has been fenced off and is being guarded by police and medical examiners Angeliki Papetta and Nicolas Charalambous arrived at the scene for an autopsy around 8 am this morning.
Speaking to reporters on Thursday night, the Famagusta police chief Giorgos Economou said that the man is a Greek-Cypriot and has been on the police’s radar for a number of cases, adding that investigations into the murder are still at a preliminary stage.
Asked whether the police were anticipating a hit against the victim due to his involvement in the June 2016 events in Ayia Napa, Economou said that “we cannot say that we were anticipating a hit or that this particular incident is connected to anything else. It just happened that the incident took place today, June 25.”
Asked whether the victim had been shot, Economou said that “he sustained gunshots the number of which we do not know yet. The body will be examined both at the scene by medical examiners as well as at the morgue.”
Asked whether the victim had received threats recently, he said that the police does not know at the present time.
Asked whether the victim was being monitored prior to the murder, Economou said that “this is part of the investigation. Members of the Famagusta Crime Investigation Department are taking statements and this will be revealed in due course.”
The Famagusta CID is investigating.
