Filenews 30 May 2023
The Limassol Permanent Assize Court yesterday imposed a heavy prison sentence on a 25-year-old man accused of a serious drug and weapons case. The same indictment included a 31-year-old Greek Cypriot who was sentenced to a 6-month suspended sentence by the Court.
This is another serious case that was solved by the authorities after information reached their hands concerning the activity of a criminal group involved in drug and weapons trafficking.
The 25-year-old main defendant in the case was found guilty after pleading guilty to charges of possession of a sports pistol without a licence, possession of secretory materials, unlawful possession of a class A controlled drug, unlawful possession with intent to supply another person and unlawful possession of property.
The Assize Court imposed on him, various concurrent sentences, the longest being that of 9 years, for the offence of possession for the purpose of supply. As far as the 31-year-old defendant is concerned, the Court imposed a suspended sentence of 6 months imprisonment for the offence of possession of a sports pistol without a license. Another person was accused in the case who, by decision of the Assize Court on 29/3/23, acquitted him of all the charges he faced.
According to the facts of the case, on 16/6/21, the members of the YKAN and the ICF of Limassol conducted searches in five houses and one premises in Limassol where the 25-year-old, 37-year-old and a 31-year-old woman lived. In their homes and premises, 3 pistols, 128 bullets as well as methamphetamine weighing one and a half kilograms were found.
Both the quantities of drugs and the various items were well hidden in landscaped areas in the homes of the accused. The mastermind, who escaped on the same day as the coordinated operation by the authorities, is still wanted in the case.
The ruling notes, among other things, that the 25-year-old was in possession of a quantity of methamphetamine weighing one and a half kilograms with the intention of supplying to other persons. In fact, it appears that he was acting on an organized plan to smuggle and disseminate hard drugs.
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Members of the Limassol OPE stopped for inspection at around 8.15 last night in Kato Polemidia, a car in which two people were traveling.
During the check that followed, it was found that the driver was a 33-year-old man with a 29-year-old as a co-driver, both residents of the Limassol district. Upon further inspection, it was found that there was no key in the ignition of the vehicle, but a nail clipper.
The identification of the car in question was carried out on the basis of its registration numbers and it was found that these did not correspond to the chassis and body numbers. During the examinations, it was found that this particular vehicle had been reported as stolen in January 2023 in Limassol.
The two occupants of the car were arrested and detained while the Limassol Minor Offences Department continues its examinations.
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Police arrested a 35-year-old woman in connection with an investigation into a shop burglary and theft of two motorcycles last night.
According to Pafos Police Director Nikos Tsapis another 28-year-old person is already in custody in this case, while two more, 20 and 23 years old respectively, are being sought. The burglary of the building took place on 20-21 May in Paphos and two racing motorcycles with a total value of €19,000 were stolen.
Last Saturday, May 27, the 28-year-old who is being held as a suspect appeared before the Pafos District Court, which issued a five-day detention order against him to facilitate interrogations. Today, the 35-year-old suspect is expected to appear before the Court in order to secure a detention order for further investigation of the case being examined by the ICF of Pafos.
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In the context of investigating a case of violence at a sports venue during the last match between Apollon and APOEL in Limassol, the Paphos Police proceeded last night on the basis of a court warrant to arrest one person.
According to the Pafos Police Director, Nikos Tsapis, this is a 21-year-old young man, who was arrested as part of the investigation of the case for various offenses that took place inside the stadium, where the above match took place.
The case is being examined by the ICF of Limassol in cooperation with the Episkopi Police Station.
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The Limassol Assize Court described the act of the 31-year-old defendant as an unprecedented, unjustified, dangerous and unacceptable criminal behaviour directed against the Police and especially the State itself, imposing an immediate prison sentence of two and a half years for the arson of the Platres Police Station and a patrol car committed on 21/7/22.
The defendant had admitted the two charges he was facing related to the offences of arson in the building of the Platres Police Station as well as in a patrol car, causing damage to state property, amounting to €1,650. In the judgment, he points out the fact that although the damage was not particularly great, with his actions the defendant put human lives in immediate danger as police officers were inside the Station performing their duty.
According to the facts of the case, before committing the offences, the 31-year-old had quarrelled with his pregnant partner due to their financial problems and had consumed quantities of alcohol while using cannabis. Due to the above, but also the financial difficulties he was facing as the operations of his family restaurant had been significantly reduced due to the pandemic, the 31-year-old told his partner "you will learn something that you will hear on the news" and then proceeded to set fire to the station and the police car.
As noted in the ruling, "this is an unprecedented, unjustified and obviously dangerous behaviour which, directed against the state itself, causes cracks in the legal order and at the same time erodes the sense of security of citizens." The defendant considered the Police Station as a representative of the State due to the decrees it had issued in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
The Assize Court took into account several mitigating factors raised by the defendant's lawyer, Marina Lavithia. Among them, account was taken of the fact that the defendant compensated the Republic. It should be noted that the Court also considered the proposal for suspension of execution of sentences, but the recommendation was rejected. The criminal conduct of the accused should be treated appropriately to deter other would-be offenders but also to deter the defendant himself, the ruling said.
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Pafos Live
Two Georgians possibly related to burglary and theft cases were arrested by police.
The vehicle driven by a 30-year-old Georgian with as a passenger a 27-year-old compatriot who resides illegally in the territory of the republic was stopped last night by members of the Z team of the Pafos traffic police.
A subsequent check found that the driver did not hold a driving licence, a safety certificate and a certificate of unfitness of the vehicle which had been deleted. The driver also underwent a drug test and was positive, while several fine warrants are pending against the passenger in the Limassol district.
An electronic battery tool was found in their vehicle and suspicions were raised that they may be involved in burglary cases. The two Georgians, however, did not give their consent to have their homes searched on Tuesday night, which is expected to happen today after securing a court order.
