Filenews 12 September 2023
In a direct trial before the Nicosia Assize Court, which will meet on October 11, the four defendants were re-indicted in the criminal case, which concerns both the report of the Al Jazeera journalistic network and events in the context of the exceptional naturalizations of foreign investors and businessmen, on the basis of the finding prepared by the Nicolatou Committee.
The defendants in the case are former President of the House of Representatives, Dimitris Syllouris, former AKEL MP Christakis Giovanis, lawyer Andreas Pittatzis, and Antonis Antoniou, one of the executives of Mr. Giovanis' company.
The four defendants appeared today at the Nicosia District Court, at 09:00, which referred them to trial at the Assize Court, where they are expected to be charged and asked to answer with admission or not to the charges against them.
The defendants were released until the next court hearing, after conditions were imposed on them to ensure their presence at the trial.
Specifically, for the defendants Syllouris, Giovanni and Antoniou, a guarantee of 50 thousand euros was decided for each with a creditworthy guarantor, while for Mr. Pittatzi a guarantee of 30 thousand euros with a creditworthy guarantor.
It is noted that all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty by the court, beyond any reasonable doubt.
Suspension since last June and re-registration
It is recalled that the Nicosia Assize Court suspended this criminal case last June, which was subsequently reregistered.
The case had been withdrawn, due to the change in the composition of the Court, since on January 30, 2023, the appointments of the Judges of the newly established Court of Appeal were announced, among whom was the then President of the Assize Court, Stavros Stavrou. The Court of Appeal took office on July 1, 2023.
On September 12, 2022, their previous referral
The four defendants appeared for the first time before the Nicosia District Court, on September 12, 2022, where it was decided to refer them to a direct trial before the Assize Court.
All four were facing charges of conspiracy to defraud the Republic and influencing a public official in violation of the Law ratifying the Council of Europe Convention on the Criminalization of Corruption.
It is noted that Dimitris Syllouris is represented by the lawyer, Chris Triantafyllidis, and a team of lawyers, while Christakis Giovanis and Antonis Antoniou are represented by the lawyer, George Papaioannou.
Andreas Pittatzis, as a lawyer, represents himself at the Court.
The investigation ordered by the Attorney General lasted more than a year
The registration of the case took place in mid-July 2022 at the Nicosia District Court, with a view to referring it to the Assize Court.
The investigation ordered by Attorney General George Savvides following the revelations of the Al Jazeera video lasted more than a year and expanded abroad, where statements and evidence were taken.
They also examined thousands of emails found on the computers of the four accused persons.
It is recalled that the publication of the video in question in October 2020 by the Al Jazeera network led to the withdrawal of the Cyprus Investment Programme by the Government.
