Filenews 7 October 2025
A 51-year-old man was arrested yesterday by members of the Police, as part of an investigation into a case of arson of a car, committed on September 29, in the province of Nicosia.
According to the data under investigation, about half an hour after midnight, on September 29, a fire broke out in a car, which was parked outside the residence of its 49-year-old owner, in the province of Nicosia.
The fire was noticed and extinguished by a neighbour. From the examinations carried out at the scene by the Police and the Fire Service, it was found that the fire had been set maliciously and caused damage to the rear of the vehicle.
From the police examinations that followed, evidence emerged against the 51-year-old. A court warrant was issued for his arrest, under which he was arrested at noon on Monday, for the purpose of investigating the case.
The case is being investigated by the TAE of Nicosia.
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Piece by piece, the puzzle of the huge amount of drugs, that was found hidden in inflatable toys and reaches 102 kg, is completed. The investigators of YKAN Limassol are trying to put the pieces together, placing in the frame another inflatable toy, which was introduced a month and a half ago in the exact same way.
The eight-day detention order of the three suspects – 61-year-old, 47-year-old and 30-year-old – expired today (6/10), and investigators brought them before the Limassol District Court again, requesting the renewal of their detention for another seven days, until the completion of the investigations. The suspects' lawyers did not object, and the Court granted the request.
Investigators have in their hands the testimony of the 47-year-old suspect, who - according to information from Filenews - "burns" the 61-year-old Greek, as the mastermind of the import of the container that arrived from Thessaloniki, in which the 102 kilograms of drugs were hidden in three inflatable toys.
According to information on our website, the 47-year-old suspect gave an extensive written testimony, in which he cites the facts and makes his own claims about the case, insisting that he has no involvement with drugs. At the same time, he involves the 61-year-old and the 30-year-old Greek Cypriot in receiving another inflatable toy that was introduced a month and a half ago, in the same way. Among other things, he said that the 61-year-old told him that he intended to start a business with inflatable toys and suggested that they work together.
It is worth noting that during their written interrogation, the 61-year-old and the 30-year-old respected the right to silence, citing legal advice. It should be mentioned, however, that during his arrest last Saturday (27/9), the 61-year-old Greek, in an oral interrogation, admitted to drug possession.
After the 47-year-old's testimony, a check was carried out on his vehicle, in his presence, where a specially designed crypt was found under the passenger seat. According to the authorities, the suspect knew about the crypt, but again put forward his own claims.
The investigations, according to our information, are at an advanced stage, with investigators awaiting the results of scientific and other examinations on the evidence. To date, 41 deposits have been received and 26 more are pending.
As part of the efforts to secure further testimony about the introduction of the drugs and the methodology of action of the three suspects and their accomplices, a letter has already been sent so that the case can be forwarded through Interpol and to the Greek authorities. This will be followed by a request for the issuance of a European Investigation Order, with the aim of conducting additional investigations. The results are considered decisive for the full clarification of the case.
At the same time, the telecommunications data of the suspects are also expected, which are expected to shed light on the case.
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Shots fired at company offices in Limassol in the early hours of the morning alerted the Police.
Specifically, around 3.50 a.m. today information was received about shots being fired at the offices of a company on Amathus Avenue in Limassol.
Members of the Police went to the scene for examinations.
The perpetrators were probably on a motorcycle with which they left the scene.
As a result of the shooting, the glass showcase of the office entrance was damaged.
It is noted that this is the second time that this company has been the target of a criminal act. Last July, there was an explosion at these offices in Limassol, which mobilized the authorities.
The incident is being investigated by the Limassol Police Department.
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Despite the intensive investigations of the investigators of the TAE Limassol, no decisive evidence has emerged to prove that the 26-year-old partner of the 31-year-old is responsible for his death. The case remains a mystery, while the young woman has been detained since last Tuesday (30/9) as a suspect in the crime of premeditated murder. The victim has two penetrating wounds in the abdomen, which, according to the medical examiners, are not justified by the fall.
As Filenews is informed, the examinations have been completed and the case file is expected to be forwarded today to the Legal Service. The investigators of the TAE Limassol will wait for the relevant instructions for the handling of the case, after studying the witness material collected.
The 26-year-old suspect and partner of the 31-year-old, gave a new statement to the investigators, where she remained firm in her initial allegations. As she mentioned, before the fall there was only a verbal confrontation between them, for reasons of jealousy. She locked her bedroom, while the 31-year-old knocked on the door and shouted at her to open it. She refused. A little later, she heard a loud noise, went out onto the balcony and saw her partner injured on the ground.
The case took a new turn after the findings of the autopsy, which was carried out by the medical examiners Angeliki Papetta and Orthodoxos Orthodoxou. According to the preliminary report, the death of the 31-year-old was caused by haemorrhagic shock, as a result of internal bleeding due to a ruptured spleen, while the results of laboratory tests are awaited. Two penetrating wounds in the abdomen were found on the body, which are not justified by the fall.
During on-site examinations, no object was found in the area that could cause such injuries. Therefore, reasonable suspicions of criminal activity arose.
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The Supreme Court increased the prison sentence in a domestic violence case, ruling that the original sentence imposed by the Nicosia District Court was manifestly insufficient in relation to the seriousness of the offences.
The accused, aged 58, had pleaded guilty to assault causing actual bodily harm and threatening his estranged wife, offenses committed in December 2017. According to the facts of the case, the 58-year-old attacked his wife holding a knife and threatened her with the phrase "I will not slaughter you", causing her terror and bodily injuries.
The District Court had imposed a prison sentence of 14 months for the attack and 11 months for the threat, with the sentences concurrent, while it had decided to suspend the execution of the sentence, taking into account the defendant's clean criminal record, his apology, his participation in a self-control program and the passage of time from the offense.
The Attorney General of the Republic appealed, arguing that the sentences were too low and that the Court was wrong to suspend their execution. The Supreme Court, examining the case, ruled that the initial sentence did not reflect the seriousness of the offenses nor the need to prevent domestic violence, which is showing an increasing trend.
Therefore, the Supreme Court replaced the sentences with 2 years in prison for the attack and 18 months for the threat, which will be concurrent. However, it upheld the suspension of the execution of the sentence, holding that, due to the long time distance from the events and the improvement in the respondent's behaviour, there was no reason to set aside the judgment at first instance on this point.
The decision reaffirms, according to the Supreme Court, that crimes of domestic violence are particularly serious and require strict judicial treatment, with the aim of both general deterrence and protection of victims.
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In an important decision, the Court of Appeal clarified that the acquittal of a convicted person without proving the state's responsibility for his imprisonment does not create an additional need for compensation.
As the Court of Appeal ruled unanimously in a three-member composition, "the deprivation of the appellant's liberty was based on a conviction by a competent court and, until it is overturned, cannot be characterized as illegal". The Supreme Court was considering an appeal by the former Director of the Fire Service, Andreas Nikolaou, who had been blamed for the tragedy in Mari and sentenced to two years in prison along with two other officers of the Service.
In 2014, the Supreme Court, following an appeal by Mr. Nikolaou, overturned his conviction and acquitted him completely. However, the compensation awarded to him under special Law 144(I)/2001 was limited to loss of income and did not include moral damage or other claims. Specifically, he was awarded compensation of €96,737.59 which was equivalent to loss of wages and benefits that he did not receive while he was detained, increased by 25%, as defined by the Legislation.
On the day he was acquitted on appeal on December 19, 2014, he returned to his duties receiving the salaries and benefits to which he was entitled from then on. Anything else, such as mental pain, damage to his reputation, costs of previous court proceedings, medical expenses, were rejected, because no illegal act of the State was documented to establish them.
He appealed to the Court of Appeal challenging this decision, claiming further damages for moral damage, professional depreciation and violation of fundamental rights. In addition, he raised the issue of the unconstitutionality of Article 5(2) of the relevant law of 114(1)/2001, which sets a ceiling on compensations.
The Court of Appeal ruled that the detention of Andreas Nikolaou was lawful until his conviction was overturned and that his acquittal does not automatically entail a violation of rights or unlawful deprivation of liberty. In addition, it considered that no malicious or arbitrary treatment by the state was documented. The additional damages he was seeking, according to the decision of the Court of Appeal, could not be awarded, as no liability of the state arose in this regard.
In fact, the three judges D. Kitsios, M. Abizas and M. Toumazi did not consider it necessary to examine the unconstitutionality of Article 5(2) as requested by the appellant, as the disputed compensation was awarded within the framework set by law.
"The deprivation of the appellant's liberty was based on a conviction by a competent court and, until it is overturned, cannot be characterized as illegal," the decision of the Court of Appeal states, which leaves a clear margin for the operation of Law 144(I)/2001 within constitutional limits. According to the Court, the legal framework remains adequate and individual justice does not require damages beyond those expressly provided for by law.
According to the current legislation, if someone was sentenced to imprisonment at first instance and was later acquitted on appeal or their sentence was commuted to non-custodial detention, they are entitled to financial compensation for the damage they suffered because they lost their job and income while in the cell. The amount of compensation has a limit, as it is determined by the actual loss of income, increased by 25%. For cases where detention or malicious prosecution is deemed illegal, a separate procedure and proof of a specific illegal act of the State that caused specific and measurable damage is required.
With their decision, the judges awarded €4,000 in legal costs against Mr. Nikolaou and in favour of the respondent Republic.
