Filenews 8 February 2024
The four accused of the murder of Thanasis Kalogeropoulos committed on the morning of October 30, 2023 in a parking lot of a seaside restaurant in Limassol are expected to be brought under draconian security measures today. [NB Postponed again till later date]
The hearing will normally take place at the Permanent Assize Court of Limassol after the Supreme Court rejected the request of the defendants' lawyers. The lawyers of the four submitted a request for the trial to take place at the Nicosia Assize Court due to tensions, harassment, insults and threats they and their clients received during the detention process.
As "F" is aware, additional witness material from the case was handed over to the defendants' lawyers yesterday. Reports indicate that there is a possibility that the accused will not respond to the charges against them even today, if there is no witness material.
The aggravated common indictment includes the offences of conspiracy to murder, premeditated murder, possession, transport and use of a class A and B firearm, possession, transport and use of explosives, arson of a vehicle and theft. The 12 charges relate to the three defendants while the 13th concerns only the 22-year-old for the offence of aiding and abetting after committing. It is noted that the charges include the offence of Article 20 of the Penal Code Cap. 154, which concerns instigation.
In the previous proceedings, the representative of the Public Prosecutor's Office requested that all four defendants remain in custody in the Central Prison. For their part, defence lawyers reserved the right to object to their clients' detention request. The process was attended by friends and relatives of Kalogeropoulos.
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After the 24-year-old wife was arrested, Police located and arrested on Wednesday night her 25-year-old husband, who was wanted for breaking into office space in the courtyard of the church of Agia Paraskevi in the central square of the Municipality of Geroskipou.
The 25-year-old Bulgarian has reportedly admitted under questioning after his arrest to committing the burglary and theft last Saturday and also reported that the amount of money stolen was not €5000 as initially reported, but €9000. The burglary of the auxiliary building of the famous religious monument, which is included in the list of the Department of Antiquities, took place on February 3, The priest in charge of the church reported to the police that the office of the church of Agia Paraskevi, located next to the church, was burglarized and a sum of money and various ecclesiastical items of value were stolen from it.
Members of the Pafos ICF went to the scene and the examinations revealed that the entrance and exit of the perpetrators was achieved through a wooden window of the office, after it was violated with a sharp object, while external protective irons were also cut off. Various documents were received from the scene for scientific examinations.
Police on Tuesday obtained testimony that a person from an eastern European country, who is a permanent resident of Paphos, was involved in the case. A warrant was issued against him by the Pafos District Court for the arrest and search of the premises where he lives. Members of the force searched the premises in the presence of the wife of the wanted person and located inside the house and received as evidence an amount of money of €4705 as well as cufflinks of gold colour and two rings of bronze coloir.
The wife of the wanted man was arrested and under questioning made some allegations that are being investigated. Yesterday she was brought before the Pafos District Court for a detention order, but the court announced that it would announce its decision at 1.00 this afternoon. The 24-year-old remains in custody and her husband will also be arraigned in court today. The ICF Pafos is investigating the case.
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The Police proceeded with the arrest of a 32-year-old man, to facilitate investigations into two pending cases of burglary and theft, theft of property, trespassing and malicious damage, committed between October 2023 and February 2024.
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In 2022, the Police dealt with 508 cases of juveniles who exhibited delinquent behaviour. This number shows both the problem that exists and the need for the operation of a juvenile detention facility.
These data were given by the representative of the police union Equality, Nikos Loizides, during yesterday's discussion in the Legal Affairs Committee of the Parliament of the bill that gives the right to detain children in a special place in prisons instead of in a structure until 1/1/2026. During the discussion and from the evidence provided by the deputy director of prisons, Ioannis Kapnoulas, 35 people between 17 1/2 years old and 21 are currently being held in the "Special 8" wing, including some for drug trafficking and rape.
This caused a sensation among Members who, after Mr Loizides claimed that young prisoners were in the same yard as murderers and drug barons, and despite their denial by Mr Kapnoulas, asked to visit this wing to see what exactly was happening. According to the hon. The director does not have a juvenile wing in prisons, but there is "Special 8" where people up to 21 years old are held. In fact, special arrangements were made so that they would not come into contact with other convicts.
Five people sentenced to three years in prison and the other four to two years, nine others jailed for up to 18 months in various cases, and an additional 21 are on trial, most of whom are detained for assisting migrants. Five of the 21 people on trial are accused of rape in Ayia Napa. Regarding Loizides' claims that the youths come into contact with long-term inmates, Kapnoulas said that this is not the case since they have their own stadium, nor can convicts from other wards throw things at them in their own wing.
Justice Ministry senior official Aristos Tsiartas said the child-friendly legislation providing for the detention of minors in a place outside prisons was passed in 2021. Now, he added, the operating regulations of this space are being prepared, they will be sent to the Legal Service and then to the Parliament. Subsequently, tenders for the creation of a structure in an area between Nicosia and Larnaka will be announced.
The president of the Cyprus Police Association, Kyriakos Charalambous, referred to a problematic law in its implementation, since minors are now detained in police stations, while the role of curator is performed by police officers who are also the persecutors.
In this regard, DIKO MP Christiana Erotokritou said that the arrangement that is finally attempted will be permanent, since a lot needs to be done until the facility for minors is ready.
Following these reports, the Legal Affairs Committee, as announced by its chairman, Nikos Tornaritis, will visit the special detention wing for minors in prisons, to see the site up close and reach its own conclusions before the bill is passed. The visit will probably take place next week.
