Pafos Live 14 May 2025
On Tuesday, the Permanent Assize Court, which is sitting in Paphos, imposed prison sentences of ten and four years on a 29-year-old and 30-year-old, respectively, after finding them guilty in a case involving the detection of a large amount of drugs.
The drugs, as well as a large amount of money, were located and seized on February 14, 2024. Specifically, a total of cannabis weighing about 12 kilograms was found and confiscated, as well as a kilogram of cocaine. In addition to the drugs, a sum of money of approximately €75,000 was found and confiscated
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Filenews
After several postponements, the two dismissed archimandrites of the Holy Monastery of Saint Habakkuk, today responded to the accusations they face.
The monks Nektarios and Porphyrios appeared today before the Nicosia Assize Court and after hearing the 24 charges they face either jointly or separately, they responded to all of them by non-admission.
The two accused monks face charges, which relate, among others, to conspiracy to defraud, committing a felony, illegal possession of property over €63,000, theft by a proxy, forgery, circulation of a counterfeiter, theft, money laundering, false tax return and interference in a judicial process.
Their trial will begin on 11/9/2025 and until then the two will remain free on the same terms.
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For the umpteenth time in recent times, a vehicle has become the target of malicious action in the Paphos district. This time the incident happened in Kissonerga, just before three o'clock in the morning.
A car parked in an open area in the community was almost completely destroyed by a fire, which from the first examinations seems to have been maliciously set. The fire was noticed by neighbours who alerted the Fire Service, members of which rushed to the scene and extinguished the fire, which had caused great damage to the vehicle in the meantime.
The scene was cordoned off by the Police and with the first light of day, investigations began to identify evidence and other evidence that will clarify the case, while the taking of testimonies has also begun. From the first data on the scene, the authorities are oriented towards the possibility of malicious action.
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New data in the investigation of the unprecedented case of dismemberment of kangaroos in the parking lot of an apartment building in Deryneia by foreigners, brought the results of the autopsy. As the director of Veterinary Services, Christodoulos Pipis, told Filenews, the autopsy showed that the animal's death was caused by slaughter.
This refutes the claim of the 36-year-old Cameroonian, who is in custody, who said the animal died after a fight with another kangaroo and was handed over dead to be eaten.
It is recalled that for the case, another foreigner is being sought, who was with the 36-year-old in the parking lot of an apartment building, as well as the driver of a double cab who allegedly helped them transport it from a farm to Paralimni.
After this development, the investigations are focused on locating the place where the illegal slaughter of the animal took place. There are two scenarios. Either the massacre took place on the farm and was subsequently handed over dead to the foreigners, or it was delivered alive and the massacre took place in another place. "It is the subject of investigation by the Police where and who carried out this act.
For our part, we will include in the case file the violations related to the Veterinary Legislation", said Mr. Pipis, indicating that the legislation will be followed for the fact that the animals in the farm in question (kangaroos, deer and camels) had not been declared.
The investigations by the Famagusta Police are continuing in the meantime, pending the forensic report. "We will wait for the report of the forensic examination and our investigations will be directed accordingly. The investigation of the case continues with the receipt of testimonies," said the spokesperson of the Famagusta Police Department, Andreas Constantinou.
It is recalled that the unprecedented case was revealed when the police received a complaint last Tuesday that two foreigners were dismembering an animal in the parking lot of an apartment building. Plastic bags containing a sliced kangaroo, an axe and five knives were found at the site. The 36-year-old was arrested on the spot, while the other foreigner managed to escape.
When he was transferred to the Deryneia Police Station, the suspect was found to be residing illegally in Cyprus, after his request for asylum was rejected in 2022.
The 36-year-old, who is in custody, is facing offences related to subjecting an animal to pain, suffering, injury or fear, causing an animal an horrific death, possession of an animal that is not allowed and illegal stay on the territory of the Republic.
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A 33-year-old permanent resident of Cyprus was arrested this morning at his home in Limassol. The 33-year-old was wanted by the German authorities for fraud cases, for offences committed between September 2020 and August 2021 and a European arrest warrant was issued against him.
An E.E.S. was issued against him in connection with the offence under investigation and at the same time of his arrest a large-scale operation was carried out in both Germany and Israel with various suspects, including the arrested man. After his detection, a search was carried out at his home and evidence was confiscated, by the Office for the Execution of European Investigation Orders and Requests for Legal Assistance of the Police Headquarters.
The arrested man was brought before the Limassol District Court on the same day for the start of the extradition procedure to the country concerned.
At the same time, Interpol has been informed.
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In a grave in the cemetery of Sfalagiotissa where a relative of the accused was buried, a pistol in excellent condition was found on Tuesday afternoon as well as a number of cartridges. As validly informed by Filenews, the pistol seems to be connected to the shooting case against the house of a 52-year-old Greek Cypriot in Agios Nikolaos, on January 26, 2025.
According to the same information, the mother of the 49-year-old accused is buried in the grave where the gun was found. In fact, for the specific case of firing shots, the proceedings are being heard before the Limassol Permanent Assize Court.
Following information given by a reliable informant to the head of the Limassol OPE, that a pistol was hidden in a specific grave in the cemetery of Sfalagiotissa that may be connected to the above criminal act, an investigation was carried out on the basis of a court warrant. During the investigation, members of the Hellenic Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Limassol found a pistol and a number of cartridges, which were taken for scientific examinations.
As far as the shooting case is concerned - as Filenews wrote in a previous article - the 49-year-old defendant was named by the complainant. The Limassol TAE managed to identify the accused through the analysis of the closed circuit surveillance of the complainant's house, as well as other cameras in the wider area of Agios Nikolaos.
According to the testimony of the 52-year-old complainant, during the study of the CCTV video of his residence, he recognized the 49-year-old, with whom he had known for the last 12 years and maintained friendly relations. However, as he said, lately they have had differences, which he did not want to mention. The complainant stated that he recognized the 49-year-old by his body type, the way he walks, as well as the fact that he used his left hand to shoot. He expressed certainty that it is the 49-year-old.
From the control of other security cameras, the accused's vehicle was recorded parked east of the complainant's residence. Then, the perpetrator allegedly covered the vehicle's license plates with adhesive tape, both front and back. After returning to the driver's seat and taking a purse, he left the parking lot and headed on foot towards the complainant's house. The cameras recorded him wearing disposable gloves and shooting the aluminum shutters of the house's warehouse. Despite the investigations that had been carried out, the pistol with which the shots were fired remained undetected.
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For today, the continuation of the process for the escape of Doros Theodorou, who was sentenced to life imprisonment, while he was on leave at his family home in Choletria, Paphos, last September.
The Assize Court, during its last session, decided that the hearing will take place today regarding the charges of conspiracy and assisting in escape. Doros Theofanous, who was sentenced to life imprisonment, appeared at the previous trial at the Paphos Assize Court under draconian security measures.
He admitted the charge of escaping from lawful arrest, but replied not to admit to the charge of conspiracy to commit a felony. Failure to admit to the offence of assisting the escape of a person who was under legal detention and admitting to the offence of disobeying legal orders, i.e. that he came into contact with him, was the response of the 26-year-old from Limassol who is accused of aiding the escape of the life prisoner from Choletria to Limassol.
After setting the continuation of the proceedings for May, the Court of Assize ordered that the prisoner be transferred back to the Central Prison, and that the 26-year-old remain in custody. The defense of the two defendants did not object to the relevant request of the prosecution.
The escape of Thophanos, while he was with a legal visitation permit to his family home in Choletria, Paphos, took place on September 26 and the lifelong prisoner, along with the 26-year-old from Limassol who picked him up from the village and transported him to an area near Ypsonas, are now accused of conspiracy to commit a felony
Update - postponed until June.
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International arrest warrants have been issued by the Cypriot Police against four Turkish businessmen in connection with the usurpation of Greek Cypriot land in occupied Lefkoniko, the Mayor of Lefkoniko, Pieris Gypsiotis, told CNA.
As he said, the Municipality and himself personally, collected evidence about the usurpation of the land of Lefkoniko.
Specifically, a very large project consisting of 10 floors and 750 apartments has been erected in various plots within Lefkoniko.
"It is the first project that has been built and advertises that it will be delivered in the coming months, while there are signs for new projects outside Lefkoniko," said Mr. Gypsiotis.
As he said, he reported the case to the Nicosia TAE, where he submitted all the evidence, and according to the investigation he conducted, these are Turkish companies. Mr. Gypsiotis said that he found the owners of the companies and submitted names, while four international arrest warrants were issued against four Turkish nationals.
These actions were taken four months ago.
Due to the seriousness of the issue, he said, a symposium was held last Saturday with the participation of the Negotiator and lawyers and a presentation and analysis was made on many issues. Practical issues were raised, he said, regarding the issue of refugees' rights, whether land encroachment or property, and attracted great interest from all over the refugee world.
He expressed his satisfaction with last week's conviction against two women, Hungarian nationals, noting that the Municipality's complaints are made for deterrence purposes. "We will not solve the Cyprus problem on our own, but there is a fear among investors and buyers and brokers about these issues," the Mayor of Lefkonikos told CNA.
As he said, he holds the names of Turkish nationals, who if they travel within the EU will be immediately arrested in any country they go to and will be extradited to Cyprus because the warrants are from courts of the Republic of Cyprus, which means that they will have to be tried in Cyprus.
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The Police arrested a 20-year-old man yesterday afternoon in Nicosia, following a complaint about obscene acts allegedly committed by the young man in a public place, outside the University of Cyprus.
According to the Police, the incident occurred around 18:00 yesterday, when citizens informed the authorities about the presence of a man who was engaging in acts, which caused public concern.
Members of the Force rushed to the scene and proceeded to arrest the suspect. The 20-year-old was examined by a psychiatrist, but no psychiatric condition was found.
The young man is expected to be brought before the Nicosia District Court for further proceedings
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In addition to the serious cases that are heard before the district courts of Cyprus, various other incidents are recorded that hardly go unnoticed.
One of these cases concerns a 51-year-old defendant, who allegedly recorded the court proceedings against him and posted the relevant material on social media, without any permission or consent from the persons appearing in the video and photos.
The protagonist in this particular case is a 51-year-old man, who allegedly assigned his video recording to a friend during the hearing last November, while he was in the dock.
This "feat" did not remain only in the archive of the accused. On the contrary, wanting to share it with... audience, posted it on a specific Facebook page. The post included two photos and videos lasting about 20 seconds, in which the judge, the prosecutor, the stenographer and another person were recorded.
The video was noticed, resulting in the authorities launching a relevant investigation From the investigations, it became clear that the owner of the relevant account was the defendant himself. After the investigation was completed, a criminal file was formed against him and the case was registered in another court for trial.
In the proceedings scheduled today, the accused did not appear in the dock, resulting in the Judge issuing an arrest warrant against him. The accused, who is also facing other criminal cases, is now called upon to face yet another, with the offences concerning, conspiracy to commit a misdemeanour, contempt of court and the offence of the controller of personal data, as he did not inform the persons appearing in the video and photos of the breach of their personal data. In total, he faces six charges.
As our website informs, witnesses in the case are the judge recorded in the relevant video.
