Filenews 5 February 2026
He may have secured the €50.000 required to remain free, however, the 51-year-old defendant in the case of the murder of Stavros Demosthenous still remains on trial in the Central Prison. Despite the new restrictive conditions set by the Limassol District Court during the referral of the case the day before yesterday, it seems that there are still issues that do not satisfy the Limassol Registry.
According to information from Filenews, the accused presented to the Registry four bank checks for a total amount of €40.000, as well as €10.000 in cash, thus covering the total amount of €50.000 imposed by the Court on January 29. The conditions stipulated that the amount had to be deposited either by bank cheque or by bank transfer. However, the fact that part of the amount was paid in cash and the rest in 4 cheques, seems to violate the Court's order.
It is reported that the accused's side, through his lawyer, is expected to proceed with further actions.
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She reported him for rape and assault, however, a few days later, the complainant regretted and asked to withdraw the complaint. Despite her wishes, the case not only did not go to the drawers, but was referred for trial before the Permanent Criminal Court of Limassol.
As Filenews is informed, initially the case was registered for trial in the District Court, but, with newer instructions from the Attorney General, the procedures changed.
According to the facts of the case, the complainant had asked her partner to delete photos he had with his ex. Then, the latter allegedly reacted violently, threatening and cursing her, while beating her. When the woman tried to leave the house, he pulled her by the hair and, as the complainant claimed, raped her. The case was reported the day after the incident to the Violence Unit of the TAE Limassol, after the accused had left for work.
Initially, he was registered with the District Court, however, with newer instructions from the Attorney General, he was referred for a direct trial before the Criminal Court. Yesterday (4/2), the accused appeared in Court, as did the complainant, who in an affidavit reiterated that she wishes to withdraw the case and that she no longer has a complaint.
Nevertheless, the proceedings proceeded normally with the representative of the Prosecution Authority, Panikos Avraamidis, requesting the detention of the accused until the trial, speaking on the basis of the witness material and invoking the provisions of the Istanbul Convention. Despite the lawyer's objection, the Court approved the request and placed the accused in custody in the Central Prison until the start of the trial, which was set for mid-March
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A car arson occurred around 1.30am on Thursday.
According to the Police, a fire broke out in a 36-year-old man's car while it was parked outside his house in Nicosia.
Members of the Police and the Fire Service went to the scene and extinguished the fire, while from the examinations carried out at the scene, two fires were found in the front and rear of the vehicle.
Extensive damage to the vehicle was recorded while further examinations will be carried out this morning.
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The dynamic and targeted preventive operations of the Police continued during last night, with an enhanced presence in key points of urban areas, with the aim of preventing serious criminal acts, protecting citizens and ensuring public order.
As part of these operations, the Police proceeded to arrest a total of eight persons on a nationwide basis, for cases related to illegal possession of property, failure to appear in court, illegal stay in the territory of the Republic of Cyprus, causing grievous bodily harm, impersonation, circulation of a forged document, extraction of property with false representations, reckless and dangerous driving and resistance during arrest.
During the same night, inspections were also carried out in 23 premises during which five complaints emerged. As far as the road network is concerned, more than 380 inspections were carried out, from which 115 complaints for traffic offenses emerged. 111 alcohol tests were also carried out, which resulted in four complaints.
At the same time, as part of the investigation of traffic offenses, a vehicle was detained.
These operations are part of a broad, continuous and strengthened preventive plan of the Police, with an increased police presence, targeted controls and immediate operational action in all provinces, with the aim of preventing crime and strengthening the sense of security of citizens.
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Twenty bullets of various calibers were found last night in nylon in the women's toilets of the Larnaca General Hospital. According to information from police sources, members of the Larnaca Police Department immediately rushed to the scene and received the 20 bullets.
Among them are traced blank bullets and some full cartridges. The confiscated items have been sent for ballistic testing and specialized DNA tests in an attempt to lead the Police to the person who left the bullets in the toilets.
This is a mysterious case, as the reason why the bullets were taken to the hospital has not been clarified, a fact that has alerted the Larnaca Police.
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Another case of sexual harassment and abuse is being brought to justice with a minor girl, under the age of 10, from Limassol. Her return from school to her home by bus turned into a nightmare, as an unknown man approached her as soon as she had disembarked and touched her in various parts of her body.
The case was reported to the Police a few days ago and was put under investigation by the Juvenile Sexual Abuse Investigation Branch, with the authorities moving immediately to locate the suspect.
As Filenews is in a position to know, after coordinated actions and after footage from closed surveillance circuits was received, both from the bus and from the area, images of the suspect, whom the minor had described, were found. The investigation revealed that the suspect boarded the bus a few minutes after the minor and disembarked at the same stop, on a main street in the city. After the little girl got off the bus, the suspect ran up to her and attacked her.
The authorities, after identifying him, proceeded to arrest him. He is a young foreigner from Syria. The suspect was brought before the Limassol Court today, which in a closed-door procedure, ordered his detention for a period of five days.
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The peculiarities of the already unprecedented case of premeditated murder of 31-year-old Angelos Pericleous, which is characterized as unique in the judicial events of Cyprus, seem inexhaustible.
The main defendant, 27-year-old Joshua Poloso Epifaniou, better known by the nickname "hacker", took on his own defense (preceded by the resignation of two lawyers), which causes new data in the hearing.
The events at the hearing the day before yesterday are indicative, during which the 27-year-old continued to cross-examine a prosecution witness of the Police, specifically the member of the Nicosia Police Department, Savvas Kyriakides. The process did not lack minor tensions, as well as objections from the prosecuting authority.
Epifaniou, cross-examining the policeman, requested, among other things, the projection of CCTV footage, which presented a specific Mercedes sports car. With his questions and submissions, the accused was obviously trying to challenge the positions of the prosecuting authority on the vehicle in question and its recognition by closed circuits.
However, what stood out was the fact of continuous interventions by the court, but also by the prosecution. The 27-year-old addressed the member of the Police in a way that was deemed unacceptable, while dissatisfaction was caused with his style. It is indicative that the president of the Criminal Court, Nikolas Georgiadis, made recommendations.
At one point, and while the accused was suggesting to the member of the Nicosia Police Department how to project the frame of a shot through a computer, Mr. Georgiades intervened: "Please do not make suggestions to the witness. If a mistake is made, point it out, but don't make suggestions."
Repeated recommendations in a strict tone by the head of the court were made to the witness and to the line he followed with his questions, causing unnecessary delay. At one point, Mr. Georgiadis explained to him in a strong tone that he did not need to constantly make submissions for an image, which was projected and was distinct from everyone on the screen inside the courtroom.
There were also objections and interventions from the representative of the prosecuting authority, Christia Kythreotou.
Epifaniou is accused of premeditated murder of Angelos Pericleous. The 26-year-old's mother faces charges of complicity after committing the murder (free on parole).
The 73-year-old H.G., the uncle of the main accused, admitted charges of his involvement in the destruction of evidence after the murder was committed. The traces of 31-year-old Angelos Pericleous were lost on the night of April 19, 2023. The next day, the vehicle he was driving was found burned, but he was not located.
