Pafos Live 11 July 2025
Contractors and subcontractors of construction works complain that lately properties of thousands of euros, tools necessary for their work, change hands overnight. Thefts of building necessities, scaffolding, slabs and other objects are almost the order of the day.
The perpetrators remove them from storage areas, even from construction sites, and resell them at humiliating prices or transport them for recycling. Their benefit in choosing recycling is not great and they prefer to find buyers, even in other provinces.
The police have made arrests and brought some to justice, but the phenomenon continues to take on dimensions due to the high demand that exists due to the building development.
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A 65-year-old resident of Limassol will pay an out-of-court fine of €3,070. He was spotted yesterday by members of the hunting service in a Turkish Cypriot village of Paphos trapping goldfinches, using a net.
In his possession, in addition to the nets, 8 goldfinches were also found that have been released. This species is protected.
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Members of the Paphos OPE arrested a 24-year-old Syrian man last night in the Mouttalos district. When his vehicle was stopped for checking, burglary tools and stolen property were found in his possession.
The young Syrian man also tested positive for drugs, while he did not give an explanation not only for the tools but also for the various objects found in his vehicle, such as subsystems and car batteries and tools.
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Filenews
47-year-old Joseph Joseph ("Sifis") and 39-year-old Hamoud Khalil ("Spiros") are acquitted of the charges facing them for the murder of 34-year-old Dimitris Andronikos. The latter lost his life on May 28, 2024 after three shots he had received on April 23, 2024 on the Palaichori-Anthoupolis road.
The Permanent Court of Assize of Nicosia (Nikolas A.P. Georgiadis, P.E.D., Nagia Economou, E.D., Andreas Louka, E.D.), in today's interim decision, concluded that there is no prima facie case against the defendants, who are now acquitted of the charges they faced.
The comment on the verdict that the head of the judiciary, Nikolas Georgiadis, is currently reading is that the testimony "cannot substantiate the constituent elements of the offenses".
This was preceded by a hearing during which the prosecution presented evidence in support of its case.
Four people have already been sentenced to life imprisonment after admitting to active participation in the murderous plot against 34-year-old Dimitris Andronikos.
The first in chronicle (25/10/24) was the accused "6", 42-year-old Yasser Arar from Syria. Arar, who apologized for the crime, was the main prosecution witness in the case, after admitting to being the driver of the motorcycle during the execution of the murder plot. The 42-year-old was enrolled in a witness protection program.
At a later stage (17/12/2024), the defendants "3", "4" and "5" were also sentenced to life imprisonment, namely, 30-year-old Omar Suleiman, 28-year-old Mohammad Al-Aga "Hamada" and 26-year-old Mohammad Kasab, the alleged executioner. Suleiman testified that he was the instigator, Al Aga that he was an accomplice, and finally Kassab that he was the person who pulled the trigger.
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Alarm to the authorities after a clash of young people in Finikoudes.
According to an update by Filenews, the fight broke out around 7:00 in the afternoon, causing a disturbance to a crowd of people who were on the pedestrian street.
In fact, the young men began the strikes just a few meters away from police officers.
Three people have been arrested. A 17-year-old, a 21-year-old and another for whom examinations are being carried out to verify his details.
The examinations are in progress.
Update - in-cyprus - A series of robberies targeting tourists and locals at Larnaca’s Finikoudes Beach has prompted increased police patrols and raised safety concerns among residents of the city.
Police have charged eight young suspects, including minors, with approximately 10 robberies committed primarily in the Finikoudes area where hundreds of locals and tourists gather daily. Despite continuous police presence, perpetrators continue to strike in secluded areas during early morning hours when fewer people are present.
The most recent robbery occurred early Thursday morning when two 52-year-old men were attacked at Finikoudes around 2am. Several young men approached the victims and forcibly took a personal bag from one of them. When the victim resisted, the attackers assaulted him, causing minor injuries to his eye.
On 28 June, a 31-year-old man walking near the Medieval Castle at 5am was attacked by two young men who injured him and stole a small amount of money. Earlier, on 15 June, a 24-year-old Afghan waiter was attacked by two young men whilst riding an electric scooter home after work. The perpetrators beat him and stole a bag containing €500. A 16-year-old was arrested in connection with this incident, found driving without a licence and in possession of items stolen from the victim.
Two additional robberies occurred on 2 June when a group of six to eight young men attacked two victims at Finikoudes, stealing personal items. Both victims sustained minor injuries whilst resisting the attacks.
In late May, Larnaca’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID) arrested six young suspects for seven robberies committed over six days (21-26 April). Five suspects, including three minors, are currently on trial before Larnaca’s Permanent Criminal Court. Three victims were injured, with some reporting attacks by groups of up to 20 people.
Spyros Chrysostomou, press spokesman for Larnaca Police, said operational plans are implemented daily with enhanced coverage on Fridays and weekends. “These include foot patrols along the Finikoudes seafront and commercial areas, reinforced bicycle patrols, and during summer, additional motorised patrols from the Mobile Immediate Action Unit,” he said.
Larnaca Mayor Andreas Vyras expressed concern following telephone contact with the Justice Minister, conveying the municipality’s and residents’ anxiety. According to Vyras, the Justice Minister indicated efforts are underway with the Deputy Minister of Migration to review the status of foreign nationals with criminal behaviour.
“I informed the President of the Republic about this issue when he visited last Tuesday. We have held two high-level meetings with the Justice Minister and the director of reception centres, who reported that a large number of unaccompanied minors have already been relocated. However, we understand many of them return to Larnaca,” Vyras noted.
The mayor highlighted challenges regarding detention of minor offenders, who are sometimes released by courts. The municipality has installed security boxes at beaches to address theft and is conducting an Impact Assessment to install cameras at central city locations.
“I hope legislation for municipal police, which we submitted as the Union of Municipalities, will pass so that police can be relieved and focus on security matters,” Vyras said.
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A 23-year-old man who sexually abused a 15-year-old girl was sent to prison for 3.5 years, after a complaint came to light when the girl was declared as a missing person.
The disappearance of the 15-year-old from her home, in mid-September 2024, led to the revelation of her abuse. The minor had been declared as a missing person, as she had argued with her family about an issue related to drug use. After leaving the house, she met with the accused, whom she knew personally. The 23-year-old took her to a hotel, where they stayed for three days and during their stay they had sexual intercourse.
The Limassol Permanent Assize Court yesterday, in a closed-door procedure, imposed a 3.5-year prison sentence on the accused, of Egyptian origin, who admitted a number of charges relating to the offence of sexual abuse of a minor, based on Article 3(3), which did not involve the use of violence. In addition, he admitted charges related to possession and use of drugs.
According to the facts of the case, the 15-year-old knew the accused, who was the brother of her friend. After hanging out, the 23-year-old suggested that they go for a walk and picked her up last July from her home in his car and finally, took her to a hotel, where they had sexual intercourse.
When the photograph of the minor was published by the Police as a missing person, and then reproduced by the media, the minor presented herself to the Police, following the urging of the accused. Although he initially denied any sexual contact, around mid-November he revealed the truth to an official of the "Children's Home", describing in detail what he had experienced.
The 23-year-old also faced other charges, such as exploitation of a child, kidnapping and illegal supply of substances to the minor, from which he was eventually acquitted.
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A short time ago, the proceedings for the referral to a direct trial of the case of a circuit of illegal activities, which was allegedly directed by the Central Prison and specifically had the 48-year-old prisoner Giorgos Christodoulou-Zavratonas in mind, was carried out at the Nicosia District Court.
Before the Nicosia District Judge, Charalambos Satsias, are the seven suspects who were placed in custody by court orders in the previous days. Namely, 48-year-old Giorgos Christodoulou-Zavrantonas, the 37-year-old owner of a beauty salon who allegedly maintains a bond with the former, her parents, her brother, the 40-year-old from the Famagusta district and the 26-year-old prison guard of the Central Prison.
Mr. Satsias mentioned a while ago that the defendants will be referred for trial before the Nicosia Assize Court on October 3 at 09:00.
The indictment includes charges of money laundering and corruption.
The spokesperson of the prosecution, Antigoni Michael, said that she is requesting the detention of the prisoner (in a different place from the Central Prison) due to the risk of re-committing crimes of an identical nature to those for which he is accused.
At the moment, the process is underway to decide whether or not to detain Zavrantonas. The defense objected to the request of the prosecution.
The conditions for the defendants 2-7 to remain free are to pay €50,000 in cash or to sign a creditworthy guarantor for the amount of €50,000, to submit passports and travel documents to the Police, to add their names to the list of persons who are prohibited from leaving the Republic and to present themselves at a police station once a week.
For Zavrantonas, the 37-year-old (2nd suspect) and the 40-year-old (6th suspect), lawyer Dimitris Tsolakidis appeared, Ilias Stefanou represented the parents of the 37-year-old, while Andreas Tsentidis appeared for the 7th accused.
According to what the Police investigator, Makis Nicolaou, had reported, in the context of court requests for the detention of the aforementioned persons, information of "highest reliability" carries Zavratonas to be the "mastermind" of a criminal group.
The Police have reasonable suspicions, according to what was reported to the Court, that the cooperation brings in €50,000 per week, while a source, cited by the investigators, says that in recent months the group's illegal activities have generated an amount of €1 million.
Based on the reservation request, consultations are made through encrypted communication applications, such as Whats App and Signal. Zavrantonas allegedly communicates constantly with the 37-year-old and her mother and gives instructions on how to manage the amounts resulting from the alleged illegal activities.
The 6th suspect, the 40-year-old from the free Famagusta, allegedly acted on the instructions of the 48-year-old barrister and went to premises collecting various amounts. Then - and according to the testimony presented by the Police to the Court - he gives them to the 37-year-old, who distributes them to the persons involved in the case.
As for the 26-year-old, according to what was presented before the Court, she was sending messages to the 37-year-old expressing a desire to help her boyfriend. At the same time, a message secured by a court order shows the 26-year-old warning the 37-year-old that the Central Prison management is preparing something, urging the latter to warn Zavranton.
The 26-year-old is allegedly a client of the 37-year-old owner of a beauty salon, who is presented as a partner of the 48-year-old barrister.
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Prison sentences ranging from 7 to 9 years were imposed on the five people convicted of the murder of 60-year-old Dorotheos Dimitriadis on January 4, 2023 in Latsia.
The accused were 32-year-old Elena Andreou, her 37-year-old partner Michalis Michael, 29-year-old Giorgos Diolas, 30-year-old Fragesko Stavrou and 27-year-old Ioannis Kokkinos, who had pleaded guilty at an early stage of the trial.
The penalties imposed:
– First accused: 9 years
- Second accused: 9 years
- Third defendant (ed. he had admitted): 7 years
- Fourth accused: 9 years
- Fifth accused: 9 years
The three-member judiciary had found the aforementioned defendants guilty of murder on June 5.
Through the decision it issued, the picture of the disputed events had also been largely clarified. In summary, we mention that the couple with their four children (Andreou and Michael) lived on the 2nd floor of an apartment building in Latsia. On this particular floor also lived the woman with whom there was the friction that led to the fatal episode and who was the witness of charge "9" (MK9) in the case.
On the day in question, 37-year-old Michael removed the compressor of the neighbour's air conditioner and took it to his apartment. The issue ended up at the Latsia Police Station, with Michael reporting to a police officer that he made a mistake in believing that he removed the compressor of his own air conditioner. He promised that he would return it, but this would not happen.
Other small incidents intervened on the same day. The situation escalated in the afternoon of the same day, around 5:30 p.m. The neighbour, referred to in the decision as MK9, was cleaning a part of the apartment building that was allegedly soiled by soft drinks that the children of the 33-year-old and the 37-year-old were drinking. There, he met with the 33-year-old, who allegedly pushed MK9 and beat her. The latter went to the Police Station with Dorotheos Dimitriadis and was given a form to be examined by a doctor and file a complaint. Finally, MK9 returned to the apartment building where she lived with the 60-year-old.
Dorotheos wanted to handle the matter himself and knocked on the door of the adjacent apartment where the couple lived and said that he was from the department of unprotected children. According to the findings of the Court, from what was recorded by the security camera that was outside the apartment of MK9 and the collected testimony of natural persons, the door of the apartment was closed and when it opened after a while, Dorotheos Dimitriadis was lying down, his body from his chest up was in the common area while the rest of the body was inside the couple's apartment.
The decision rendered the images that followed. Brutal beatings that the victim received, but also insults from the couple towards Dorotheos and MK9 (ed. we consciously do not convey them). Dimitriadis was slapped by the 33-year-old, even kicked in the head.
When the other three defendants (3, 4 and 5) rushed to the scene, the atmosphere remained tense and the beating continued. They called Dorotheos to leave, without helping him, dragged him down the stairs, beat him violently and finally led him to the entrance of the apartment building, without providing him with help.
The 60-year-old died seriously injured shortly after the ambulance arrived at the scene. The verdict noted that Dorotheos did not have an aggressive attitude, but was described as unable to react to the constant blows.
Based on the verdict, what the 37-year-old Michael testified under oath in court was contradictory. The decision shows that he was completely unreliable. In addition, the members of the Assize Court, in their unanimous verdict, did not accept the claim that when Dorotheos entered Michael and Andreou's apartment, he slapped the latter.
When the decision is read, the Court of Assize sends the message of absolute certainty about its outcome. It is indicative that he reiterated that the prosecution, which was represented in the proceedings by the lawyer of the First Republic, Anna Matthaiou, succeeded in proving beyond any doubt the offense.
In the decision of the Court of Assize of 5 June, the following are noted: "On the contrary, with their whole behaviour they encouraged them, which demonstrates the acceptance and applause of the continuation of the punishment of the victim within the framework of their common purpose (...) It is our finding that on 4/1/23 the death of the victim occurred as a result of haemorrhagic shock following bleeding that occurred due to injuries and injuries to the abdominal vessels and organs, namely to the liver and the right kidney. Undoubtedly, the multiple blows that the victim received (...) resulted in death. Therefore, the final result of the death of the victim was a consequence of the common unlawful purpose and consequently irrespective of the fact that it cannot be determined which of the defendants 1 to 5 inflicted the fatal blow or blows, given that this or those were part of and took place in the context of the implementation of the common unlawful purpose, it is considered that they were given and carried out by each defendant separately and by all together".
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in-cyprus
A 69-year-old man from Agios Dometios is fighting for his life after an attempted murder attack by his 31-year-old son yesterday at 1:00 pm, following hours of surgery.
The victim sustained injuries to various parts of his body caused by a sharp object and his condition is described as serious, according to official information received by authorities.
The attack occurred in the courtyard of the family home in front of a vehicle parked in the garage. The 31-year-old suspect was immediately questioned by Nicosia’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and is currently undergoing medical evaluation.
Authorities were notified immediately after the incident, with officers from Agios Dometios Police Station responding to the scene. Until early afternoon, Nicosia CID officers remained at the house, located near the green line, taking statements.
The investigation into the attempted murder continues as the victim remains hospitalised in critical condition.
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Cyprus Mail
In a judgement made public on Thursday, the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) has ruled against an appeal filed by a Cypriot convicted of drug-related charges.
“The applicant complained that his criminal trial had been unfair because he had been convicted solely on the testimony of an accomplice who had been allegedly rewarded with a suspension of his own sentence,” the ECtHR said.
But according to the Strasbourg court, Charalambos Sakkou, the applicant, had indeed received a fair trial; no injustice in the legal process of the defendant could be detected.
The court also dismissed Sakkou’s claim that a subsequent suspension of his former accomplice’s prison sentence had been indicative of a deal between the latter and authorities.
Following his testimony, the accomplice had been placed in a witness protection programme.
The ECtHR rejected Sakkou’s claims, noting that according to its findings, the Cypriot courts had displayed caution in relying on the accomplice’s statements, and that they had additionally relied on independent evidence which reinforced the witness’ testimony.
The initial trial had taken place in Limassol in June 2020, where the court heard five witnesses for the prosecution, including the former accomplice, plus Sakkou as the only witness for the defence.
In October 2020, the court found the defendant guilty on eight charges. Sakkou was convicted in November of that year. Two months later, in mid-December, then-president Nicos Anastasiades issued a suspension of the remainder of the witness’ prison sentence, days before it was set to come into effect, following a recommendation by the attorney-general.
The suspension of the witness’ sentence was conditional on him settling abroad and returning only to testify in ongoing cases. However, he breached the agreement by failing to appear in court to testify against the defendant.
In its ruling, the ECtHR argued that the witness had only been rewarded with entry into a protection programme, not immunity, and found no reason to doubt the Cypriot Supreme Court’s decision, noting the witness had served part of his sentence and that the suspension of the rest was not evidence of wrongdoing.
