Pafos Live 29 July 2026
Two conscripted soldiers serving their service in a unit in Paphos clashed with each other, as a result of which one was seriously injured.
He was reportedly hit on the head with an iron fist. He has been very seriously injured and is being treated in the hospital. His colleague has been arrested.
According to information, the two soldiers had made an appointment outside the camp to resolve a dispute between them that arose while they were on duty.
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Filenews
The presence and action of the Police last night was intense, throughout Cyprus, with organized patrols in key points of urban areas, with the aim of preventing serious criminal acts, ensuring public order and increasing the sense of security of the public.
As a result of the preventive police operations, three persons were arrested for offenses such as, illegal stay in the territory of the Republic of Cyprus, etc.
As part of these operations, during the night, 492 drivers and 154 passengers were stopped and checked. At the same time, 52 inspections of premises were carried out, with the aim of dealing with phenomena of delinquency, where 5 complaints emerged.
During traffic checks carried out, 307 complaints were made, concerning various traffic violations, while 15 investigated cases of traffic violations also emerged.
Of the complaints made, 93 complaints from drivers for exceeding the speed limit stand out, while as part of the police examinations, 9 vehicles were detained. 135 alcohol tests were carried out, where two complaints emerged, while two drivers tested positive in preliminary drug tests.
Policing operations, for the prevention and suppression of crime, continue daily, with an increased/enhanced police presence, targeted controls and immediate operational action, with the aim of increasing the sense of security of citizens/protecting citizens and ensuring public order.
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On 27/7, officers of the Customs Department at Paphos Airport, after evaluating information, identified 4 passengers with British citizenship, before their departure to Manchester, United Kingdom, with their luggage containing large quantities of roll-your-own tobacco, whose packaging did not bear the marking for the harmful effects of smoking in Greek and Turkish, but neither did the security feature and the unique traceability code, indications that they were duty-free.
Specifically:
- A total of 640 packages of 50 grams each (a total of 32 kg) were found in the luggage of one passenger.
- A total of 650 packages of 50 grams each (a total of 32 kg and 500 grams) were found in the luggage of another passenger.
- A total of 596 packages of 50 grams each (a total of 29 kg and 800 grams) were found in the luggage of a third passenger.
- A total of 621 packages of 50 grams each (a total of 31 kg and 50 grams) were found in the passenger's luggage.
The 4 passengers were arrested for flagrante delicto, while their luggage and contents (a total of 125 kg and 350 grams of tobacco) were confiscated. Today all 4 were brought before the Paphos District Court, which issued a 4-day detention order.
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The Ministry of Defense announced the appointment of a criminal investigator to investigate the fire that broke out in the area of the Kalo Chorio Firing Range, with the aim of ascertaining the causes and circumstances under which the fire broke out, as well as examining possible disciplinary and criminal responsibilities.
According to the announcement, the General Staff of the National Guard (GEEF) appointed Brigadier General Savvas Stefanou as criminal investigator, who undertakes the conduct of the relevant investigation.
As the Ministry of Defense points out, the completion of the investigative process is an essential and necessary step, in order to record with objectivity, completeness and documentation all the facts related to the incident and to ascertain the exact circumstances under which the fire broke out.
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Two cases of possession and trafficking of duty-free tobacco products were investigated by the Customs Department in recent days in Limassol and Nicosia, resulting in the seizure of large quantities of cigarettes, heated tobacco products and roll-your-own tobacco, as well as the arrest of two persons.
According to an announcement by the Customs Department, on July 26, Limassol Customs officials were informed by members of the OPE about the detection of a suspicious amount of tobacco products in the vehicle of a 64-year-old Greek Cypriot in Limassol.
During the inspection, 51 cigarette boxes, 83 boxes of heated cigarettes and 1.7 kg of roll-your-own tobacco were found. As found by the officials of the Customs Department, the products did not bear the legal marking for the effects of smoking in the Greek and Turkish languages, nor the safety feature and the unique traceability code, data that indicate that they were duty-free.
The 64-year-old was arrested for flagrante delicto, while his tobacco products and vehicle were confiscated. He was later released, after his proposal for an out-of-court settlement was accepted with the payment of €6,500, as well as an additional €500 for the return of the vehicle. The seized products will be destroyed in accordance with the legal procedure.
In a second operation, on July 28, officials of the Investigations Sector of the Chief Customs Office, after evaluating information and with a court warrant, carried out searches at a kiosk and at the home of a 53-year-old Greek Cypriot in Nicosia.
During the searches, a total of 137 cigarette boxes, 17 boxes of heated cigarettes and 6,5 kilograms of roll-your-own tobacco were found. And in this particular case, it was found that the products did not bear the prescribed markings and safety features, which shows that they were duty-free.
The 53-year-old was arrested for flagrante delicto offenses and the tobacco products were confiscated. He was then released, after accepting an out-of-court settlement of €12,000. The seized tobacco products will be destroyed in accordance with the prescribed procedures.
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The Police proceeded to arrest the son of the owner of the vehicle who suffered extensive damage from a fire in the early hours of the morning in Paphos. The 35-year-old allegedly confessed to the commission of the crime during interrogation, attributing his act to differences he had with his mother.
The arson of the vehicle took place at 4:00 in the morning, while the car was parked outside the owner's residence in Paphos. Two fire trucks arrived at the scene and extinguished the fire, after the vehicle suffered extensive damage.
During the investigation of the case, the Police secured testimonies and evidence that made the 35-year-old son of the owner of the vehicle suspected of involvement in the case. He was arrested and when interrogated, he allegedly admitted to committing the offense, saying that he had differences with his mother. The examinations of the authorities continue.
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Lawyer Alexandros Clerides sets a deadline of five days for the competent state authorities to give a full and reasoned answer regarding the investigation of a case of serious assault in a letter to the President of the Republic, the Attorney General, the Minister of Justice and Public Order and the Chief of Police, warning that otherwise he will appeal to European Union institutions.
According to his letter, which was made public, Mr. Clerides states that he is acting on behalf of a man, who, according to his claims, was the victim of a particularly serious attack on January 17, 2026 outside the Larnaca Police Department.
According to him, a group of people allegedly holding axes, knives and other offensive instruments, attacked his client while he was on the ground, resulting in serious bodily injuries, including a fractured skull and a fractured elbow.
According to the letter, despite the seriousness of the incident, the existence of video footage, the identification of those involved and the taking of statements, to date no criminal case has been registered against the alleged perpetrators.
On the contrary, as he claims, a criminal case was registered directly against his own client for an allegation of "clearly less seriousness", which concerns the events of the same day.
Mr. Clerides states that he had sent a relevant complaint to the Presidency of the Republic and the Ministry of Justice and Public Order, while noting that the Ministry, in a letter dated July 10, 2026, forwarded the complaint to the Chief of Police, requesting information to both him and the Ministry.
However, according to the letter, to date no specific and reasoned information has been given as to whether and when the file was forwarded to the Legal Service, whether instructions have been issued or additional investigation requested, what is the current stage of the case, whether or not a decision has been made to prosecute and what is the timetable for the completion of the process.
The letter invokes the provisions of Law 51(I)/2016 on the rights of victims of crime and Directive 2012/29/EU, with the lawyer arguing that issues of compliance of the competent authorities are raised in terms of the obligations to inform, protect and respect the rights of the victim.
At the same time, reference is made to the procedural obligation of the Republic of Cyprus, under Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights, to effectively investigate credible allegations of serious physical violence.
Deadline 5 days
Mr. Clerides states that, if there is no satisfaction of his demands within five days, he intends to submit a complaint to the European Commission for, as he claims, the ineffective implementation by the Republic of Cyprus of the obligations arising from Directive 2012/29/EU, as well as a report to the Committee on Petitions of the European Parliament.
The letter requests, among other things, to investigate the reasons for the delay, to disclose the progress of the file, to provide specific information on the current stage of the case, to examine whether the obligations of the Police under the relevant legislation were complied with and to give a full and reasoned written response within five days.
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The well-known land development entrepreneur Savvas Kakos was arrested yesterday on suspicion of felonies and today he will be brought before the Larnaca District Court.
The Larnaca Police Department will submit to the judiciary for examination its request for the issuance of a detention order against the 62-year-old for a period of eight days.
The offenses being investigated against Mr. Kakos concern 11 cases involving a large number of persons, who claim to have been deceived by the Greek Cypriot businessman.
These cases arose after complaints that have been investigated in recent years against Mr. Kakos and concern, according to the allegations, representations made by him through the land registry, for land developments that were not implemented.
"Buying and selling"
A well-informed source who spoke to "F" said that according to complaints that the Police were called to investigate, "purchase and sale contracts that were submitted to the land registry and for which money was paid, were withdrawn after the fact".
Israelis
Among the persons who have reported Mr. Kakos from 2022 until today to the Police - according to the information we have in our possession - are Israeli citizens, who wanted to acquire real estate in Cyprus either for investment purposes or for permanent settlement purposes. As it is known, in recent years nationals of the neighbouring country have shown particular interest in buying real estate in Cyprus.
Felonies
As we noted, the offenses, which according to the Police are being investigated against the 62-year-old businessman, are serious. As we noted, these are felonies, based on the prescribed penalties in case of conviction.
After all, what the head of the Larnaca Crime Detection Department, Giorgos Charalambous, said yesterday
He said, in particular, that "the TAE Larnaca proceeded today (yesterday) to arrest a Greek Cypriot businessman, 62 years old, resident of Larnaca, in relation to ten investigated offenses, which were committed during the years 2022 to 2024 in Larnaca".
These offenses, according to the official information from Mr. Charalambous, concern:
>> Conspiracy to commit a felony (seven years).
>> Extortion of money by false representations. (5 years)
>> Drawing up documents without authority. (7 years)
>> Forgery. (3 years)
>> Circulation of a forged document. (7 years)
>> Fraudulent transactions in real estate owned by another. (7 years)
>> Fraud during the sale of property. (4 years)
>> False accounts for the purpose of defrauding a company director, defrauding creditors and money laundering.
Most of the offences investigated carry a prison sentence of seven years if convicted.
The Cyprus Police today through a press release states that "the cases under investigation concern offenses committed during the period 2022 - 2024 in the province of Larnaca, with the total amount of money allegedly extracted amounting to 12 million euros".
Complaint for €3 million.
One of the cases for which a complaint was made to the Larnaca Police Department against Mr. Kakos, was published by our newspaper in September 2024. Specifically, Israeli investors had denounced the Greek Cypriot businessman for fraud at the Larnaca TAE through their lawyer who had come to Cyprus for this purpose in the early fall of 2024.
Mr. Kakos, who is also active in the real estate industry, had been reported to have extorted €3 million from Israelis, with false representations. The money was intended for the purchase of a plot of land, which would be developed. However, as the complainants claim, the property was never purchased, while the businessman allocated this money for other projects.
The investors had agreed with the businessman that the money for the investment in Larnaca would initially be deposited in an escrow account in Israel. When an investor's lawyer received from the Greek Cypriot businessman the necessary supporting documents from the Larnaca Land Registry, then he released the amounts and sent them to him in the form of a remittance.
The complainants claim, according to their complaint, that the documents he sent were the product of forgery. Among other things, they claimed that the Greek Cypriot in some cases submitted a purchase and sale document to the land registry to receive a relevant receipt and that then, if he presented it to a representative of the investors to receive money, he made an annulment act.
In other words, according to the allegations, he asked the Land Registry to delete the purchase and sale document from the Land Registers. In addition, the complainants claim that on a number of occasions he falsified documents for tax and other reasons.
Prosecution witness
It should be noted that Mr. Savvas Kakos is a prosecution witness in two cases that are currently being tried and related to naturalizations. One concerns the Cypriotization of the Iranian Mehdi Ebrahimieshratabadi (he used the name Tony Newman) through the law firm Haris Kyriakides LLC. The other concerns a number of naturalizations and has 10 persons as defendants, including the former Minister of Transport, Marios Dimitriadis. As is logical, in the sphere of public debate yesterday, on the occasion of the arrest of Mr. Kakos, his status in the aforementioned trials was also raised.
Dimitriou: Mr. Kakos' complaints against an Israeli man preceded
- "They asked my client to give information about the cases and he refused?"
In his statements to our newspaper, the lawyer Antonis Dimitriou, who represents Savvas Kakos, stressed that his client has already received legal remedies for some time for all the cases for which he allegedly committed offenses.
He explained that civil cases are currently pending in the Courts and at least two lawsuits have been filed on behalf of Savvas Kakos involving an amount of €20 million. He said that for some cases there was a compromise, while for others an interim decree has been issued.
He added that his client made two complaints to the Financial Crime Investigation Office for fraud and money laundering involving an amount of €32 million. These complaints are dated, according to what he told us.
In addition, Mr. Dimitriou said that there is also a complaint on the part of his client about an Israeli businessman, who appears as a complainant and has denounced Mr. Kakos in this case, leaking to various media.
Savvas Kakos' lawyer also told us that his client has been denouncing the Israeli businessman in question for about two years, that is, before the Police examined a complaint from the latter against Mr. Kakos.
Antonis Dimitriou also stated that the Israeli businessman fraudulently took shares from a hotel owned by Mr. Kakos, adding that legal remedies were taken against the foreign investor.
The lawyer of the Greek Cypriot businessman expressed dissatisfaction with the handling of the Police, referring to the issuance of an arrest warrant against his client, but also for the fact that the relevant request of the Police puts forward the position that the wife and daughter of Mr. Kakos will be interrogated. "They asked my client to give information about the cases and he refused?" asked Mr. Dimitriou.
Finally, the lawyer of Savvas Kakos announced that for the arrest and search warrants he will register an application for their cancellation through a privileged warrant of the Certiorari type.
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The extradition process of the 45-year-old Azeri to the United Kingdom, where he is accused of offenses related to espionage against Britain, which were allegedly committed at the Akrotiri Bases, is underway in a legal battle before the Limassol Court.
During yesterday's proceedings, which were attended by "F", the Azerbaijani, holder of a British passport, stated that he did not consent to his extradition to the United Kingdom. Therefore, the case will be taken to a hearing. The 45-year-old was taken back to Central, where he has been detained as a prisoner since June 2025.
It is recalled that a case had been registered against the Azeri in the Criminal Court, where he faced serious charges, including espionage of the "Andreas Papandreou" air base and the British Bases of Akrotiri. However, at the request of the British authorities, the Attorney General decided to suspend the criminal prosecution, in order to advance the process of his extradition. Immediately afterwards, the 45-year-old was re-arrested on the basis of the arrest warrant.
14-year sentence
The Court, explaining the procedure to the 45-year-old wanted man, told him that he was before him as an arrest warrant was issued on May 27 by a competent court in the United Kingdom and then an arrest warrant, which was executed in Cyprus, under the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) between the European Union and the United Kingdom.
According to the request, the British authorities are seeking his extradition in order to be prosecuted for the offences of assisting a foreign intelligence service and entering a restricted area with the intent to cause damage to the UK, in violation of the National Security Act 2023. The offences carry, under English law, a prison sentence of 14 years. The Court also informed him that he has the right to receive legal advice in the State requesting his extradition.
UK authorities believe that 45-year-old Rashad Sultanov had a direct relationship with Iran's Revolutionary Guards (IRGC).
No resources
During the process, an official of the Welfare Office appeared, who stated that the wanted man's brother supported him financially with an amount between €50 and €100 per month, while from the day of his detention until today he has sent him a total of about €600.
The wanted man himself said that in recent months he has not received financial support from his brother and that several times he is forced to ask for help from other prisoners in the Central Detention Center. In view of his financial circumstances, as well as the nature and seriousness of the proceedings, the Court granted legal aid. The Azeri stated that he wishes to be represented by lawyer Efstathios Efstathiou, who accepted the appointment.
At the beginning of yesterday's process, the wanted person was asked to answer whether he had really come to Cyprus as a tourist, with him answering in the affirmative and claiming that he also wanted to see if there was any opportunity to find a job.
When asked by the Court whether he has a bank account in the United Kingdom, he replied that there is an account, but he does not use it. It should be mentioned that Mr. Efstathiou submitted a request to cover the costs of a lawyer in the United Kingdom through legal aid from the Republic. The Court rejected the request, citing a recent decision of the Court of Appeal (3/25).
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Serious complaints about the conditions of his detention in the Central Prisons were raised yesterday before the Limassol Criminal Court by a 20-year-old Syrian, who is on trial for a case of arson and participation in a criminal organization. The young man asked either to be moved to another wing or to be released, claiming that he was receiving threats and attacks from his fellow inmates. Two more people are accused of the same case, one of whom is already a convict of the Central Prison.
The 20-year-old made his reports during yesterday's proceedings before the Criminal Court, during which the first hearing of the case was postponed, as no legal representative was presented for any of the three defendants.
The Prosecution requested that the three remain on trial until the next hearing, which was set for mid-September, noting that the decision to detain them during the referral has not been appealed.
During his statement before the Court, the 20-year-old (2nd defendant) stated that he is facing serious problems in the Central Prisons. "I have some problems in prison. There are some of my fellow prisoners who threaten me, beat us and when we return they will be waiting for us to hit us again. Some are holding knives and this is known to the prison guards. The Police cannot protect us. I've been hit seven times. And the 1st defendant (20-year-old) has been hit," he said.
The 20-year-old asked the Court to either release him or order his transfer to another wing.
The Court, examining the request in the light of the detention order already issued at the time of referral of the case, which has not been appealed, held that no new evidence was brought before it that would differentiate the detention order. In relation to the 20-year-old's reports, the Court stated that it is expected that the Police Authorities and the Prison Directorate will take the necessary actions to investigate his allegations. The 20-year-old was told to contact his lawyer and inform her about what he said before the Court, noting that she is aware of the procedures and can activate them to investigate his allegations. As has been clarified, this is a matter which does not fall within the jurisdiction of the Court of Justice.
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The Police arrested a 20-year-old driver, as part of the investigation of the serious road collision that occurred on the night of July 26 in Limassol, resulting in the critical injury of a 26-year-old Syrian, who was driving an electric personal mobility device.
According to the latest data, the 20-year-old was arrested last night, by virtue of a court warrant. His car, which was detained for examination, was also located.
The 26-year-old is still hospitalized in critical condition in intensive care.
The road collision occurred around 10:45 pm, at the junction of Solon and Sappho streets in Limassol. Under circumstances that are being investigated, the electric personal mobility device driven by the 26-year-old collided with a car, the driver of which left the scene.
According to the data under investigation, the 26-year-old was moving east on Solon Street and, arriving at the intersection with Sappho Street, allegedly did not stop at an "alt" sign, as a result of which he collided with a car moving north on Sappho Street.
The examinations also show that this road is not allowed for the use of an electric scooter, while the 26-year-old did not wear a helmet and a fluorescent vest.
The 20-year-old allegedly, according to the examinations, was driving without a license and without insurance coverage. He was arrested for both the specific offenses and for leaving a road collision scene.
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A ten-year prison sentence was imposed today (29/7) by the Limassol Permanent Criminal Court on a 46-year-old man, who admitted the charge of possession, for the purpose of supplying, eight kilograms of cocaine.
The decision of the Criminal Court was unanimous. As the President of the Court stated during its reading, after the defendant admitted to the most serious charge related to possession, for the purpose of supplying the disputed quantity of cocaine, the remaining charges were suspended by the Attorney General.
When determining the sentence, the Court took into account as mitigating factors the immediate admission of the accused, his sincere remorse, as well as his cooperation with the Police. Particular emphasis was placed on the fact that he provided important information to the authorities and named the person who, according to his claims, had given him instructions for the receipt and trafficking of drugs.
In fact, as pointed out in the decision of the Criminal Court, the information given by the 46-year-old led to the arrest of the specific person, who is now facing criminal prosecution before the Criminal Court. The 46-year-old devotes himself to testifying as a prosecution witness in this case.
The Court referred extensively to the sincere remorse of the accused, pointing out that his immediate admission was catalytic for the development of the case. He stressed, at the same time, that under other circumstances the penalty that would have been imposed would have been significantly more severe.
It is recalled that the case began on August 12, 2025, when YKAN received information that the 46-year-old was involved in the trafficking and trafficking of large quantities of cocaine and cannabis, which he hid in a vehicle parked in an area far from his residence.
The 46-year-old was placed under discreet surveillance from noon on the same day. He was first spotted going to his home and then to a car repair shop in Episkopi, where he talked to various people. A little later, a parked vehicle approached on foot, opened the luggage compartment and returned to his own car, in which he left and went back to his residence.
At about 13:10 he returned to the same workshop, parked again, approached the same vehicle, opened the luggage compartment, picked up a black nylon bag and returned to his car. He was chased and stopped by members of YKAN who followed him.
From the check carried out in the nylon bag held by the 46-year-old, a quantity of cocaine weighing about one kilogram was found, resulting in his arrest for a flagrante delicto.
Subsequently, the tests led to the discovery of another eight kilograms of cocaine, which were hidden in a vehicle belonging to the defendant's brother. The latter is serving a nine-year prison sentence in the Central Prison for another drug case.
According to the written testimony, the 46-year-old had taken the vehicle with the drugs to the workshop and had been repeatedly seen opening his luggage compartment before his arrest and arrest.
The value of the quantity of eight kilograms of cocaine is estimated to exceed one million euros.
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The Permanent Criminal Court of Paphos issued an interim decision in the case involving a series of arsons, attempted arson and other serious offenses, ordering the release of accused 1 under strict restrictive conditions, rejecting the request of the Prosecuting Authority to continue her detention.
The three defendants in the case face a total of 31 common charges, including arson of motor vehicles, arson and attempted arson of a cafeteria, conspiracy to commit a felony and misdemeanor, participation in a criminal organization, money laundering, malicious harm, dangerous driving and license plate theft.
It is recalled that on June 8, 2026, the Paphos District Court referred the defendants to trial before the Criminal Court, while ordering their detention, ruling that there was a risk of evading justice and committing new offenses. At that stage, the defense did not object, but retained the right to do so before the Criminal Court.
In its interim decision, the Criminal Court ruled that the continued detention of defendant 1 was not justified either because of the risk of evading justice or because of the risk of committing new offenses.
Therefore, he ordered her release on strict conditions. Specifically, she is obliged to sign a personal guarantee of €80,000, to deposit a financial guarantee of €20,000, to hand over her travel documents to the Police, to register on the Stop List, not to pass through the roadblocks to the areas not controlled by the Republic of Cyprus and to report twice daily to the Korakou Police Station.
On behalf of the Republic, the lawyer of the Prosecuting Authority, Ms. N. Papoutsa, argued that the police investigation revealed that the same vehicle, a Toyota Vitz with registration numbers NYB872, was used in all the arsons and the attempted arson, which in some cases bore stolen license plates.
According to the Prosecuting Authority, the perpetrators were two men, who were recorded using this vehicle, procuring fuel and filling plastic bottles of the same type as those allegedly used in the arson. The position of the Republic is that these two men have been identified as defendants 2 and 3, who, in some cases, allegedly made admissions.
The involvement of defendant 1, according to Ms. Papoutsa, is based on the fact that she was the one who rented the specific vehicle for the period during which the disputed offenses were committed. The Prosecution disputed her explanation that she was unaware of the use of the vehicle for illegal activities, pointing out that when renting she declared a different phone number and a different home address from her real details, while a third person received the vehicle instead of herself.
In addition, it was argued that the choice of a rental company in Larnaca, while she lives in Korakou, as well as the fact that the vehicle, after a police chase on April 15, 2026, ended up parked outside her residence, are elements that strengthen the position of the Prosecution.
For his part, the defense attorney, lawyer Elias Satolias, who appeared together with the lawyer Antonis Satolias, stated that his client never disputed that she was the one who rented the vehicle, but claimed that this was done exclusively for her personal travel and not for the commission of any offense.
As he stated, the only thing that happened was that she allowed her nephews, i.e. defendants 2 and 3, to use the vehicle, without knowing that it was being used for illegal acts. He also argued that there is no direct testimony that places her at the sites of the arsons or links her to their planning or execution.
The defense also referred to testimony according to which the accused did not have her own car, as well as medical evidence that, as she claimed, shows that she does not drive at night. He also pointed out that defendants 2 and 3 themselves state that they were the ones driving the rental vehicle.
Mr. Satolias also stressed that in previous criminal proceedings, which were then suspended, the accused had been free for about an hour and a half and, despite the fact that she knew that a new case was going to be registered and her detention would be requested again, she did not try to escape but appeared before the Court normally.
At the same time, she referred to her strong ties with Cyprus and proposed the imposition of strict restrictive conditions, including the payment of a €20,000 bail and her daily presence at a police station, a proposal that was eventually largely adopted by the Court. The other two defendants did not object to their detention.
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Threats to "finish" and "dissolve" it, allegations of stalking, dissemination of pornographic material and violation of a court order make up the scene of the case that occupied the Court of Appeal, which upheld the three-day detention of a suspect ordered by the Limassol District Court, ruling that there was a real risk of destruction of digital evidence and influencing witnesses and that his detention was necessary for the smooth conduct of police investigations.
The case concerns the investigation of serious offences, including written threats to kill, dissemination of pornographic or sexual material, harassment, disobedience to court orders and psychological violence against a former partner of the suspect.
According to the information cited in the decision of the Court of Appeal, the complainant had a relationship with the suspect from August 2024 to February 2025. The separation was followed by failed attempts to reconnect, while the woman had already filed complaints against him. In another criminal case registered on May 30, 2026, a decree had been issued prohibiting the suspect from approaching her at a distance of less than 100 meters or communicating with her in any way.
The new complaint concerns incidents that allegedly took place in the early hours of July 8, 2026. The complainant complained that, after returning from a night out, she received threatening and abusive messages from two different mobile phone numbers, in which the sender threatened to "finish" her and "break it up" if she reported him. She claimed that she recognized the suspect from the way he wrote, the content of the messages, photos he sent her and from his voice in a telephone conversation.
The Court of Appeal recalls that in order to issue a detention order, it is required, among other things, to prove that the detention is necessary to facilitate police examinations. In the present case, the appeal focused solely on challenging the necessity of detention.
The appellate courts held that the first-instance judge correctly applied the relevant legal principles and gave sufficient reasons for her decision. As reported, important investigative actions directly related to the suspect's environment remained pending, such as the search of his residence and other premises to locate mobile phones, computers and other digital devices that may have been used to send the messages in question or contained files related to the investigated offenses.
At the same time, the Court held that there was a reasonable risk of damaging evidence, as well as the possibility of influencing witnesses, in particular persons who allegedly accompanied the suspect to a bar the night before the alleged incidents and from whom no statements had yet been taken.
The Court of Appeal also pointed out that, although some investigative actions could have been carried out in the ten days between the issuance of the arrest warrant and the arrest of the suspect, this omission did not negate the need to continue the detention, as a significant part of the investigative work remained ongoing.
In conclusion, the Court underlined that the role of the Court of Appeal is not to review the judgment of the court of first instance from the outset, but to check whether it was exercised in accordance with the principles of law and without external factors. Finding that there was no such issue, it upheld the three-day detention order and dismissed the appeal.
The Court of Appeal said "no" to the release of a rape defendant, which ruled that the complainant's allegations create a possibility of conviction, while his ties to the areas not controlled by the Republic make the risk that he will not appear at the trial real. The accused had been referred to trial before the Famagusta Criminal Court for rape, forced intercourse, indecent assault on a woman and sexual harassment.
The accused faces four charges concerning the same complainant and allegedly committed in the same place and time. Following his referral to trial, the Prosecution requested his detention until the start of the proceedings, citing a risk of evasion of justice. The court of first instance granted the request, a decision which the accused challenged before the Court of Appeal.
In his appeal, he argued that the court of first instance had incorrectly assessed the evidence and that there was not a sufficient chance of conviction to justify the risk of evasion of justice. At the same time, he invoked his personal circumstances and ties with the Republic of Cyprus, noting that he holds a Cypriot identity card.
The Court of Appeal rejected these claims, pointing out that at this stage of the proceedings the court does not assess the credibility of the testimony or decide on the guilt or innocence of the accused, but examines whether the evidence creates a possibility of conviction.
The appellate judges ruled that the defense isolated specific excerpts from the complainant's first testimony, overlooking the entirety of its content. As stated in the decision, the complainant testified that she had made it clear to the accused that she did not want any sexual act other than kissing, while she claimed that, when he proceeded with sexual intercourse, she tried to push him away by pushing him, without him stopping.
The Court of Appeal agreed with the judgment of the court of first instance that, based on all the witness material, there is a possibility of conviction, clarifying at the same time that this does not exclude the reasonable possibility of acquittal of the accused during the trial of the case.
In relation to the risk of evasion of justice, the Court held that the court of first instance had correctly weighed up all the relevant factors. Although the accused has Cypriot citizenship and certain ties to the free areas of the Republic, he resides permanently in the areas not controlled by the Republic and was expected to be employed from September 2026 as a teacher in occupied Famagusta.
The Court of Appeal underlined that the decision is not based on the accused's Turkish Cypriot origin, but on his strong ties with areas where the Authorities of the Republic cannot effectively exercise their powers, which makes it difficult to secure his presence in court in case he chooses not to appear.
Referring to the relevant case law, the Court pointed out that Cypriot citizenship alone is not sufficient to exclude the risk of evasion of justice, when there is objective evidence demonstrating strong links with areas outside the effective control of the Republic.
The Court of Appeal also ruled that the personal circumstances of the accused, such as his age, the completion of his studies and his imminent employment, are not sufficient to neutralize the existing risk of evasion of justice nor can they prevail over the public interest in the smooth administration of criminal justice.
In conclusion, the Court found that the District Court had correctly exercised its discretion and that there was no need to interfere with its decision. Therefore, the appeal was rejected and the accused will remain in custody until the trial of the case before the Criminal Court.
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The Permanent Criminal Court of Nicosia requested clarifications from the Prosecution Authority on Tuesday, before deciding whether part of the documents that have not been handed over to the defense, due to the position that they fall under the exceptions of the legislation, should remain out of the witness material in the case of the Central Prison documents. As a result, the process continues on Friday while the issuance of its decision is postponed to a later stage.
In today's proceedings, the Court stated that there are still issues that need clarification on the part of the Prosecution, while the inspection of part of the disputed documents is also pending. Therefore, he did not proceed with the issuance of his decision, noting that three issues have been identified that need to be clarified.
The first issue concerns a reference made by the representative of the Prosecution Authority, Anna Mattheou, during her speech, in relation to about five documents. As the Court stated, at one point it was said that these documents had been handed over to the defence in their entirety, while at another point it was stated that some of them were among those whose delivery was objected to.
The second issue concerns the conversations between the lawyer and the client. According to the Court, the Prosecution had stated that these conversations are privileged, but they are not part of the charges facing the defendants at this stage. TheCourt asked whether they were included in the material relating to the charges.
The third issue concerns a position expressed by the Prosecution Authority, according to which, although the defense in Cyprus is not obliged, as in England, to disclose its defense line, it should demonstrate the way in which it is affected in case the documents are not delivered as such. The Court invited the defense attorneys to take a position on this position, if they wish.
The lawyer of the Republic, Louisa Sigar, said that she was not able to take a position on the issues raised by the Court, as she is not handling the case herself, while she asked that the procedure be set at a later date so that the Prosecution can take a position.
The defense attorney of the first accused, Christos Triantafyllidis, stated that he will take a position after the positions of the Prosecution Authority have been heard. At the same time, he expressed reservations about a new delay in the process, stating that "with great hesitation I consent to the delay of this case due to the Prosecuting Authority", pointing out that the first accused is still suspended and the case is urgent for her.
The defense attorneys of the other defendants, as well as the second defendant, Athena Dimitriou, who represents herself, also agreed with the position that they will take a position after the Prosecution Authority has been heard.
The Court set the case for July 31, at 9:00 a.m., in order to hear the positions of the sides, clarifying that its decision will be issued at a later stage, after the examination of all the disputed documents has been completed. The defendants were summoned to appear under the same bail conditions.
It is recalled that the defendants in this case are the former Director of the Central Prisons, Anna Aristotelous, the former Deputy Director, Athena Dimitriou, five members of the penitentiary and a former member, now a police officer.
The defendants face nine common charges, including conspiracy to commit a felony, theft of state property involving 48.432 documents, architectural plans of the Central Prison and digital data, as well as abuse of power in relation to the transfer of documents and electronic material outside the Prisons. Anna Aristotelous faces an additional charge, as, as stated in the indictment, while she was Director of the Prisons, she allegedly allowed the leak of classified documents.
