Pafos Press 23 September 2026
Major coordinated operation – Inspections of premises and residences in Emba
A major coordinated operation took place today in the community of Emba, initiated and coordinated by the Community Council, with the participation of the Police, the Immigration Department, Health Services, and the Social Welfare Services.
According to information obtained by PafosPress, inspections were carried out at various locations within the community during the operation, revealing—among other issues—highly problematic sanitary and living conditions.
At the same time, checks were conducted regarding individuals' residency status in the Republic of Cyprus, and where violations were identified, the competent authorities followed the prescribed procedures.
Reports indicate that the conditions encountered by the teams at certain locations were particularly dire, involving issues related to both living conditions and the state of specific premises. The Emba Community Council appears determined to persist with its actions and pressure on the competent authorities, aiming to address issues causing problems in the community and to upgrade the area.
Inspections and the evaluation of findings by the competent authorities are ongoing.
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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, six persons were arrested for various offences, including assault on a police officer, resisting arrest, possession of drugs, burglary and theft, failure to appear before a Court, illegal possession of tobacco products and illegal stay on the territory of the Republic of Cyprus.
As part of these operations, during the night, 517 drivers and 163 passengers were stopped and checked. At the same time, 47 inspections of premises were carried out, with the aim of dealing with phenomena of delinquency, where three complaints emerged.
During traffic checks carried out, 291 complaints were made, concerning various traffic violations, while 10 investigated cases of traffic violations also emerged.
Of the complaints made, 61 concerned exceeding the speed limit, while as part of the police examinations, five vehicles were detained.
119 alcohol tests were carried out, from which three complaints emerged, while preliminary drug tests recorded a positive result.
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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The Police arrested a 34-year-old man, against whom arrest warrants were pending, in the early hours of today, in the area of Neos Limani in Limassol.
According to the Police, around 5:30 a.m., an OPE patrol located the 34-year-old, who allegedly tried to escape.
During his attempt to leave in his vehicle, he allegedly crashed into a patrol car, while he also dragged a police officer, who tried to immobilize him.
Warning shots were then fired and it was possible to arrest him. The 34-year-old resisted and tried to escape.
The 34-year-old is expected to appear before the Court today for the issuance of a detention order.
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The examination of the appeal of the 30-year-old father of the two boys, 8 and 10 years old from Bulgaria, who were found dead in a car in Xylofagou last June, has begun. Following the decision of the Court of British Bases to remain in custody until his trial, his lawyer, Christos Theodoulou, filed an appeal with the appellate court, requesting that the accused be released, on parole.
The father faces two charges of causing death due to a reckless and reckless act and had submitted two requests to be released, conditionally released and to be given permission to go to the funeral of his children in Bulgaria. Both of his requests had been rejected by the highest judge of the BB, since issues were raised about the absence of an institutional framework, which would allow the assistance of the Republic of Cyprus.
Today a procedure was set before the supreme judge, so that the father could answer whether or not he pleaded guilty. However, due to the appeal, speeches were made by his lawyer and the representative of the Prosecution and the judge reserved his decision.
The process, as Mr. Theodoulou states in a written statement, focused particularly on the pillar of enforcement, i.e. whether there is an effective mechanism for locating and reinstating a person within the Base Areas. "Of particular importance, according to the defense, is the fact that the testimony given by the witness of the Prosecution Authority (police officer BB) highlighted the existence of existing channels of cooperation between the Authorities of the Bases and the Republic of Cyprus in matters of locating, transferring and arresting persons.
Crucially, of course, is the fact that there is a legislated framework, in our position as a defense, both the Cypriot legal order and that of the Sovereign Bases, to which we referred the Court, by which the arrest and transfer of a person to the Bases in case of evasion of justice can be regulated by request", says Mr. Theodoulou, noting that it is posed, Hence, the institutional question "whether the invocation of enforcement as a ground for deprivation of liberty is consistent with the cooperation mechanisms that appear to exist in practice".
This is, as he said, a matter of wider importance, which concerns any person detained within the Base Areas. "For our part, we argued that the conditions for granting bail are met, with the imposition of appropriate conditions capable of ensuring the attendance of the accused at the trial, and that the exceptions provided for by the relevant legislation do not apply," Mr. Theodoulou concludes.
It is recalled that the two siblings had been left unattended, since the father rushed to work in Limassol on the morning of June 28, while his 38-year-old partner, who had been arrested, but was released along the way, did the same. In the afternoon of the same day, the 38-year-old was found dead in the car.
According to the BB's findings, which are based on CCTV footage, the two children appear to have managed to enter the car, which was parked in the open area of the apartment building where they lived, through an open door in the back. As revealed by Filenews, expert examinations showed damage to the specific door, which remained unlocked, despite the fact that the car was locked. It then seems that they locked themselves in the car and were trapped in it, since the child lock was also activated.
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Today, Wednesday (23/9), the Limassol Permanent Criminal Court imposed an 18-month prison sentence on 30-year-old Charalambos Savva, who admitted to the theft of a priest's vehicle, which was located three days before the murder of Stavros Demosthenous.
The vehicle, a Mitsubishi Colt, was stolen on October 5, 2025 and was located on October 14, three days before the murder of Demosthenes, which was committed near his residence, in Agios Athanasios.
The decision of the Criminal Court was unanimous. When determining the sentence, the Court also took into account another case pending against the 30-year-old before the Limassol District Court.
In its decision, the Court states that for the benefit of the accused, his admission, which was accompanied by remorse, was taken into account, as well as his personal circumstances, as they were put before the Court by his defense attorney during the speech for mitigation of the sentence.
At the same time, it was reported that the 30-year-old is facing three other convictions for offenses of the same nature.
The sentence will count from the day he was detained. The Court also set several dates for the trial of the case until the end of the year. The first hearing has been set for October 26, while the hearing will continue on subsequent dates already determined by the Court.
According to the facts brought before the Criminal Court on September 16, the 30-year-old had agreed with another person to steal the vehicle, as he knew that the priest used to leave the keys in the car.
The priest had gone to a church in Limassol for vespers and had parked his vehicle, worth €4.000, nearby. The other person went to the place and, shortly before the end of the vespers, stole the car.
He then called the 30-year-old, who told him: "Come a bullet to Nicosia and bring it."
The two met at a point at the State Fair, where the 30-year-old gave €300 to the person who stole the vehicle as a fee.
The vehicle was spotted on October 14. According to the facts presented to the Court, the priest's property, with a total value of €1,750, including his stole, was not found in it.
However, two jerry cans with flammable material were found in the vehicle.
The mobile phone in the cell and the report to the police
Before the Criminal Court, it was reported that the 30-year-old has previous convictions, which also concern theft offenses.
The representative of the Prosecuting Authority requested that the evidence found in the context of the case remain in the possession of the Police.
At the same time, he also referred to an incident that occurred during the detention of the 30-year-old in the detention center of ADE Limassol. Specifically, during a search of his cell, a mobile phone was found.
As stated before the Court, when the police asked him about it, he indicated that "the thing you are looking for is tucked behind the socket". The defendant stated, however, that he had not used the phone.
Three accused of murder in the dock
For the murder of Stavros Demosthenous, three main defendants, a 31-year-old and two 28-year-olds, remain in the dock of the Limassol Permanent Criminal Court.
The three face, among other charges, premeditated murder, conspiracy to commit a felony, conspiracy to commit murder, arson of a vehicle, illegal possession, transportation and use of a firearm, illegal possession, transportation and use of explosives, as well as theft of a vehicle.
