Filenews 18 March 2023 - by Fanis Makridis
Developments occurred in the case of the serious accident in the sea area of Konnos that occurred on 13/8/2017 and resulted in the critical injury of a 25-year-old expatriate from Britain. At the request of the prosecution authority and an interim decision of the Famagusta District Court on March 9, an amendment to the indictment was made.
Now the 54-year-old businessman from free Famagusta, who was the operator of the speedboat that critically injured the then 25-year-old Anglo-Cypriot R. X., is also charged with grievous bodily harm, on the basis of Article 231 of the Criminal Code, which in case of guilt carries a prison sentence of up to seven years. It should be noted that the 30-year-old -today- woman, had been very seriously injured in the lower part of her torso, losing four litres of blood, resulting in immediate danger of her life.
One natural and one legal person were removed from the indictment. This is the owner of the water sports company involved in the accident and the business entity. After this development the owner of the company will be a prosecution witness.
At the hearing before the Famagusta District Court the day before yesterday, Marios Panayides, the 54-year-old's defence lawyer, requested that the hearing be postponed. He cited his steps to annul the Court's interim decision to accept conversion of the indictment. It should be noted that during the previous days Mr. Panayides made a request to the Supreme Court in order to be given permission to submit a request, in order to issue a relevant cancellation decree (certiorari). However, the bench ruled that the hearing of the case should continue. The 54-year-old, therefore, responded by not admitting to the accusations and the hearing continued.
During the proceedings the day before yesterday, the Anglo-Cypriot cousin of the complainant, who on August 13, 2017, was 17 years old, testified under oath. The two of them along with a friend from the Netherlands were participating in the water sport, when the accident occurred. In response to questions from the prosecution, he referred to the circumstances in which the speedboat injured the 25-year-old, as well as the disputed events that followed, while he was also cross-examined by the defence lawyer, Marios Panayides. The Dutch girlfriend of the two young women will also testify under oath. The hearing will resume on March 23, 30 and 31.
