Pafos Press 13/11
Man attacks roommate following an argument, sending him to the hospital
Police in Limassol have arrested a 29-year-old foreign national following a violent altercation with his roommate.
According to a report filed by a 41-year-old man, the two individuals had a heated confrontation, during which the 29-year-old allegedly attacked and struck him.
The 41-year-old was taken to the hospital, where it was determined that he had sustained injuries to various parts of his body.
The 29-year-old has been arrested by the authorities, while the Limassol CID (Criminal Investigation Department) is investigating the case and the circumstances under which the incident occurred.
Update - Filenews - A 29-year-old recognized political refugee from Iran was taken to the cell for a period of five days, who was arrested on suspicion of attacking his 41-year-old roommate in Limassol. The reason, according to the complaint, was allegedly the noise caused by the complainant's motorcycle when he was starting it to go to work.
According to what the investigator of the Limassol TAE case, Ioannis X'Filippou, stated before the Court, the complaint was made by the 41-year-old, also Iranian and permanent resident of Cyprus.
As he noted, the incident took place on November 2, around 7 in the morning, in the courtyard of the house where the 41-year-old lives with the 29-year-old, in the Mesa Geitonia area. The two roommates had allegedly argued over personal differences, with the suspect attacking the 41-year-old and hitting him in the face.
The reason for the incident is said to have been the 29-year-old's annoyance from the noise of the motorcycle, which the complainant was starting in order to go to work.
After the attack, the 41-year-old went to the Limassol General Hospital, where it was found that he suffered a fracture of the left cheekbone, as well as a fracture of the outer wall of the left orbit. After receiving the necessary medical treatment, he was discharged with instructions.
As part of the investigation of the case, a court arrest warrant was obtained against the 29-year-old, which was executed last night at his residence. When his attention was drawn to the Law, he reportedly replied in English "it's a fuss all day".
He was then taken to the offices of the Limassol Police Department, where he verbally admitted that he slapped his roommate, claiming that he was bothered by the noise of the motorcycle, which the complainant was parking outside his room.
The examinations are ongoing, while about 22 more statements are expected to be taken from people in the suspect's friendly and professional environment, as well as from other people, to complete the investigation. The crime of causing grievous bodily harm is being investigated against him.
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Filenews
The Police arrested seven persons as part of their preventive operations.
The seven persons were arrested for various offenses such as, illegal stay on the territory of the Republic of Cyprus, causing grievous bodily harm, driving under the influence of alcohol.
As part of these operations, during the night, 473 vehicles were stopped for inspection and 601 persons on board were checked. At the same time, 27 inspections were carried out in premises with the aim of dealing with phenomena of delinquency, during which a complaint was made.
During traffic checks carried out, 301 complaints were made, concerning various traffic violations, while 5 investigated cases of traffic violations also emerged.
Of the complaints made, 167 concerned exceeding the speed limit, while as part of the police examinations, 7 vehicles were detained. 203 alcohol tests were also carried out, from which three complaints emerged, as well as a preliminary drug test without 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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Shocking information about the past and connections of one of the two wanted persons who are in Dubai adds even more interest to the case of the €800.000 "death contract" against Giorgos Xiourouppas.
According to information from "F", the person in question is a former police officer and the information of the Security Authorities shows him to be closely linked to persons of a criminal network in Dubai, who are said to have previously engaged both the Greek authorities and the Cypriot authorities for serious cases of organized crime.
Particularly revealing is the role attributed by the Police to the former police officer, who, according to information, introduced himself to the 36-year-old former employee of Xiourouppa as "A".
Based on the same information, during a video call from Dubai, in which he was contacted by the first wanted person, the former police officer (second wanted person) allegedly assigned him to place an explosive device in the businessman's car.
According to the same information about what the 36-year-old testified, the former police officer promised him financial support for his daughter and the arrangement of the documents for his legal stay in Cyprus, in order to take charge of the murder.
Added to the puzzle are the information held by "F" about the testimony of the 36-year-old Bulgarian, a former employee of Xiouruppa, who claimed that the first wanted person, alleged associate of "A", in an attempt to reassure him, had told him that "the Police are theirs", while assuring him that he would arrange for the settlement of the documents of his legal stay in Cyprus, from where he was deported in 2014.
A race by the investigators
In the meantime, rapid developments are expected within the next few hours, with the DAOE investigative team intensifying efforts to secure new witness material. As "F" is in a position to know, additional statements have already been taken from various persons in the close professional, friendly and family environment of the suspects.
At the same time, new arrests are not ruled out, as another person is being sought who allegedly played a key role in the case, transferring the second detonator to the 70-year-old suspect.
Particular importance is also given to a testimony that is expected to be received within the next few hours. This is the person through whom Xiourouppas contacted the 48-year-old first suspect, when he was informed that his murder was planned.
Under the microscope and the path of money
At the same time, at the center of the investigations are the financial transactions recorded in the deposits, with the Police being called upon to ascertain the origin and destination of significant amounts of money.
Of particular interest are the remittances in the form of cryptocurrencies, totaling approximately €13,767, which the 36-year-old claimed to have received from the first wanted person, as well as the alleged advance payment of €400,000 for the execution of the death contract.
The examination of financial data presupposes the obtaining of court orders for the disclosure of bank accounts and, depending on the place where the data are kept, the activation of international judicial cooperation procedures.
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The 59-year-old prosecution witness was confronted today with heavy submissions about his involvement in the double murder of Andreas Kouzoupis and the 38-year-old Slovak David Chmelar, during his cross-examination before the Limassol Permanent Criminal Court. The defense attorney submitted that he was the one who committed the murders, that he asked the accused to take the shotgun from his father in order to intimidate the victim and that he then tried to shift the responsibility to the two defendants, promising that through a political figure he could help them escape.
The 59-year-old categorically rejected all the submissions, insisting that he had no knowledge or involvement in the double murder and spoke of an attempt to blame him. At another point in cross-examination, he described the defense attorney's claims as a bad scenario, saying characteristically: "The script you wrote was not good." In fact, in a strong tone, he called on the lawyer to put his hand on the Gospel and repeat what he was accusing him of, if he had a heart, a conscience and was a Christian.
The defense attorney directly submitted to the 59-year-old that he was involved in the two murders. At that time, the Court pointed out that the witness should have been warned beforehand that any statement of possible admission could be used against him. The 59-year-old clarified that he would not answer.
The process continued with new submissions, with the lawyer claiming that about 20 days before the murders, the witness called the accused every day, asking him to arrange a meeting with Andreas Kouzoupis, as, as he claimed, the victim was stealing from him. "You're lying," was the 59-year-old's categorical answer. He then submitted to him that on the night of the murder he contacted the accused and asked him to go to his house in order to discuss. At the same time, he claimed that he asked him to pick up his father's shotgun, in order to intimidate Andreas Kouzoupis, with a meeting near the tank in Arakapas. "You and the one who told you are lying again," was the witness's answer.
The defense attorney also submitted to him that, after being handed gloves and the shotgun without cartridges, he asked the two defendants to leave the Arakapas tank and that he would contact them later. "The scenario in Foskolos for you!", replied the 59-year-old.
At another point, the lawyer claimed that the witness had asked to take Kouzoupis to that spot, under the pretext that he had found a person who would buy the loudspeakers. The 59-year-old denied any consultation or participation.
His reaction was particularly strong when he was told that the two defendants left him only with the gun and that he then called them to return.
"For all the things you are trying to load on me, fortunately, even at the last minute, they did not turn off the cameras, to prove that I was at home with my family. And someone else, who committed the murder, wants to blame it on me," he said. When the defense attorney submitted to him that he had asked the two defendants to blame each other for the murders and leave him out of the case, claiming that he had the way through a political figure to help them escape, the 59-year-old replied characteristically: "In the pre-election campaign, what are you doing?".
The telephone communications on the night of the murders
The 59-year-old's testimonies to the investigators of the Limassol Police Department were also read in court. He described the close relations he maintained with the accused, who often visited his home and helped him with work.
He made special reference to the telephone communications they had on the night of the murder. As he testified, the accused called him around 23:30 and initially asked him for gasoline. He replied that he did not. As he described, after some time the accused called him again, telling him: "Uncle B... help". The witness stated that at first he thought that the accused was talking nonsense to him, since, as he said, he used to call him and say various things. When, however, they contacted him again, he asked him what help he needed, with the accused replying: "Come on, my tana, let's load." He said that he did not ask him what he wanted them to load or where he was at that moment, answering: "Aista ji fue".
The witness stated that during the conversation he heard other voices, realizing that there was probably another person with him. After midnight, while he was heading to Kalo Chorio to turn off the water in his field, he contacted the accused again, who, according to him, told him that he had gone to Dieron and had taken the other person to his house.
Reference was also made to a telephone conversation the next day, during which the accused asked him if the cameras in his home were recording and if he could turn them off. The witness stated that he refused, while explaining that he initially did not suspect any connection between the accused and the murder.
Two more witnesses testified
During the proceedings, the wife of the 59-year-old also testified, who stated that on the night of the murders she heard voices near her house and went outside to find out where they came from. At the same time, she showed the authorities footage from the closed circuit surveillance of the house, in which she is recorded leaving the house. Subsequently, an investigator testified, who referred to the ballistic check, as well as the examinations carried out at the crime scene.
It is recalled that on June 9, the Limassol Permanent Criminal Court sentenced the 25-year-old co-defendant to two consecutive life sentences in prison.
The hearing is expected to continue in the coming period, with the testimony of new prosecution witnesses before the Permanent Criminal Court of Limassol.
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A man will remain in the cell until the start of his trial on December 9, who faces a heavy indictment of 24 offenses, including three rapes, sexual abuse and kidnapping for the purpose of sexual abuse. The Court of Appeal unanimously rejected his attempt to overturn the detention order, ruling that the seriousness of the charges, the possibility of many years in prison and the absence of substantial ties with Cyprus justify his stay in custody until he is held accountable before Justice.
According to the decision of the Court of Appeal, the accused faces a total of 24 charges, which relate to alleged offenses committed between August 23, 2023 and October 10, 2026. The complainant in all categories is a woman from Paphos.
In particular, the indictment includes three counts of rape, two counts of sexual abuse by penetration, one count of attempted rape, one count of attempted sexual abuse by penetration, two counts of kidnapping for the purpose of sexual abuse, three counts of sexual harassment, three counts of indecent assault, one count of assault causing bodily harm, five counts of domestic violence offenses, one count psychological violence and one charge of harassment.
The Prosecution had requested his detention until the start of the trial, citing a risk of evasion of justice. The defense objected, arguing that the available witness material did not indicate the possibility of conviction and that the accused maintains strong personal and family ties with the Republic of Cyprus.
The Court of First Instance accepted the request of the Prosecuting Authority and ordered his detention until December 9, 2026, the date on which he will appear before the Paphos Criminal Court.
The decision was challenged on three grounds of appeal, which concerned the evaluation of the testimony, the assessment of the likelihood of conviction and the examination of the defendant's ties to Cyprus.
The Court of Appeal, examining the grounds of appeal, recalled that the detention of an accused before the trial is an exceptional measure, as the starting point must be individual freedom. However, he noted that detention can be justified when there is a risk of the accused not appearing in court, the possibility of committing new offenses or the risk of influencing witnesses.
In the present case, the Court of Appeal held that the Court of First Instance correctly took into account the seriousness of the offenses faced by the accused, pointing out that the crime of rape is punishable by life imprisonment. As stated in the decision, in case of conviction, the sentence may be severe and multi-year, which increases the incentive to avoid the judicial process.
Regarding the possibility of conviction, the Court of Appeal rejected the defense's position that the case is not based on sufficient testimony because the basic version of the Prosecution Authority results from the testimony of the complainant.
The Court clarified that at this stage there is no final evaluation of the testimony nor are definitive conclusions drawn about the facts, but the available witness material is examined on its face. He also stressed that there is no rule that requires testimony from more than one person in order to justify the detention of an accused until the trial.
At the same time, the Court of Appeal ruled that the findings of the forensic examination, according to which bruises were recorded in the area of the complainant's knee, do not in themselves refute the allegations included in her testimony.
Regarding the defendant's ties with Cyprus, the Court of Appeal agreed with the first-instance judgment that no strong ties were established to limit the risk of evasion of justice. Special reference was made to the testimonies of his two brothers, who stated that he lives with his cousin in Chloraka, but without knowing his home address.
In addition, there was no specific information about the profession, his financial situation or the existence of a bank account in Cyprus. The Court also noted that, although the accused is said to have had an infant aged about four months with the complainant, it is clear from the witness material that he has no contact with the child. The Court of Appeal described, in fact, at least unfortunate the invocation of the existence of the child as an element that strengthens the accused's ties with Cyprus, since it does not appear that he maintains any contact with him.
In conclusion, the Court of Appeal ruled that the time until his next appearance before the Paphos Criminal Court, on December 9, 2026, is not excessive and that the Court of First Instance correctly exercised its discretion.
Therefore, it rejected all three grounds of appeal as unfounded and upheld the decision to detain the accused until his appearance before the Criminal Court.
It is noted that the 24 charges are allegations that will be examined during the trial of the case and do not constitute established guilt of the accused.
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A huge amount of pharmaceutical preparations for cosmetic procedures (botox) was confiscated by the Customs Department at the Agios Dometios roadblock.
According to the official announcement, today officials of the Customs Department who were working at the Agios Dometios crossing point, around 1 in the morning, stopped a car with Turkish Cypriot registration numbers driven by a 38-year-old Turkish Cypriot for a check.
During the inspection of the vehicle, 399 vials of pharmaceutical preparations used in cosmetic procedures (botox) were found in a purse inside travel luggage. The preparations in question were confiscated in violation of the provisions of the Green Line Regulation and in violation of Article 9 of the Medicines for Human Use (Quality, Supply and Price Control) Law 70 (I) / 2001.
The person involved was arrested, while his vehicle was also confiscated as the means of transporting the illegal preparations. He was later released after his proposal for an out-of-court settlement of the case was accepted with the payment of an amount of €9,000 for the preparations and another €1,000 for the return of his vehicle. From the first investigations carried out, it appears that the person involved intended to travel from Larnaca Airport to Rome, Italy via another third country.
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The Limassol Permanent Criminal Court sentenced a 24-year-old man to four years in prison today (12/11), who was found guilty, after his own admission, in a case of possession of narcotic substances for the purpose of supplying them to other persons. This is a case that was revealed on July 29, 2025, when YKAN Limassol received information about drug trafficking in a park in the area of Agios Athanasios.
Specifically, the 24-year-old admitted to possession of 76 grams of cocaine and 523 grams of cannabis, with the intention of making them available to third parties.
As noted in the decision, according to what the defense attorney stated, the 24-year-old acted recklessly and without much planning, being in a vulnerable position and in order to secure his instalment. However, the Court emphasised that it could not be ignored that a significant quantity of narcotic drugs would be placed on the market through its action. In fact, he pointed out that it was thanks to the timely intervention of the Police that their disposal was prevented.
The Court also underlined that the accused, through his participation in the case, contributed to the attempt to channel narcotic substances on the market and, by extension, to other persons.
The Criminal Court ruled that the only appropriate penalty was that of imprisonment, as any other sentence would have been inappropriate and insufficient, taking into account the seriousness of the offenses. As mitigating circumstances, it took into account the accused's admission, his remorse, his clean criminal record, his personal circumstances, as well as the circumstances of the commission of the offenses and the other mitigating circumstances that were brought before him.
Eventually, he was sentenced to concurrent prison sentences, with the longest being four years in the charge of possession of cannabis, weighing more than half a kilogram, for the purpose of supplying to other persons. The sentence is calculated from 29 July 2025, the date on which he was detained.
It is noted that his 29-year-old co-defendant was sentenced to seven years in prison in February.
The facts of the case
According to the facts presented before the Court, on July 29, 2025, YKAN Limassol received information that a specific person was trafficking drugs, using a vehicle, in a park in the area of Agios Athanasios.
Members of YKAN and OPE Limassol went to the scene, where they found three persons. As soon as they realized the presence of the police, they fled, taking advantage of the darkness, managing to escape. At the place where the three persons were, a plastic bag was located and confiscated, which contained a large number of nylon packages with cannabis with a gross weight of more than two kilograms, cocaine weighing 79 grams, as well as 100 ecstasy pills.
In addition, the police located and confiscated a sum of money amounting to €1.790, precision scales, adhesive tape, empty nylon bags and other items.
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The fire that reduced the vehicle of a 61-year-old man to ashes in Larnaca is due to a malicious act. According to information from the Police, after searches at the scene, on Friday morning (13/11), an incendiary strip was detected.
The fire was noticed at 9:30 last night in a vehicle that was in a field near the 61-year-old's house. Members of the Fire Service rushed to the scene and extinguished the fire, which, however, managed to completely destroy the vehicle.
The tent was cordoned off and various items were received from it that will be sent for scientific examinations. The Police are looking for testimonies from neighbours and closed circuits in an attempt to reach the perpetrator.
So far, the motives behind the criminal act have not been clarified, which, according to police sources, do not seem, at this stage, to be related to organized crime.
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Scenes of brutal violence unfolded yesterday afternoon in an area near the center of Limassol, when, according to a video posted on social media, a person initially allegedly broke into a house, which is estimated to be abandoned, in the area of Agia Zoni. A fight then broke out between those involved.
As recorded in the video, but also according to the description of the person who posted it, the people involved were holding various objects in their hands. Initially, one person appears to be entering the house, while another is outside it. The people involved then leave the building, with one of them holding a pole. The fight continues outside the house.
The person who posted the video states, among other things, that he called the Police. However, according to him, the clash lasted about 25 minutes, without the presence of the Police at the scene being felt. At the same time, he claims that it was a group of about 20 people, who came to blows, exchanging heavy blows with iron bars and sticks.
In a communication that filenews had with a competent person of the Limassol Police, it was reported that the video came to the attention of the authorities today. Although no complaint has been filed, the Police proceeded to open an ex officio investigation into the case.
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The Limassol District Court sentenced a young man to an immediate prison sentence of 12 months today (13/11), who threatened his mother with scissors, but without hitting her, asking her for €300 to buy drugs. In fact, he threatened her that he would kill her if she did not give him the money.
The 24-year-old faced offenses in violation of the Family Violence Law, and related to use and threat.
According to the facts of the case, the incident took place a few weeks ago in Limassol. Last week, the accused was brought to justice, where he admitted the offenses he was facing and was remanded in custody until the sentence was imposed.
Today, the Court imposed an immediate prison sentence of 12 months, pointing out that these offenses flood the courts every day and concern violence in the family, they cannot be treated with leniency, underlining the need to administer criminal justice.
The case was handled on behalf of the Attorney General, by the public prosecutor Panikos Avraamidis.
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A woman from Limassol was very recently acquitted of the charge of possession of antiquities without informing the Director of Antiquities with a list, however, the antiquities were ordered to be handed over to the Department of Antiquities.
The case, which attracts a lot of interest due to its nature, came to light in January 2020, when the accused's son handed over to the Police two boxes with 20 antiquities, stating that they were in their possession by his mother without declaring them as required by law. A search was carried out at her home in the presence of an archaeologist from the Department of Antiquities where antiquities related to the Bronze Age and the Hellenistic and Roman periods were found.
The defendant in her testimony, as stated in a decision of the Limassol District Court, expressed her surprise at the fact that some items were not declared, since, as she claimed, she was in the belief that they were all legally owned. As for their origin, he said that the objects had been in the family home since the 1980s.
She stated that following a legislative change in 1996, she applied, through her husband, for a relevant license. In this context, an officer of the Department of Antiquities visited their home and proceeded to record the objects. According to her perception, the officer had recorded all the items that were in the house. It did not, however, rule out the possibility that some of them had been inadvertently omitted, considering this as the only possible explanation for the finding that some remained undeclared.
The items that had not been declared and were handed over to the Police concerned: A Bronze Age amphora, an oinochoe and a fragmentary Bronze Age cupbearer, a fragmentary perfume vessel of the Hellenistic or Roman era, a shallow bottle, a Bronze Age cupbearer, four ancient coins, a shallow plate, a Bronze Age vase, a bottle, a fragmentary perfume vessel of the Hellenistic or Roman period, fragments of terracotta (ancient statuette) a piece of a Greek-Roman perfume vessel a piece of stone statue, a flask of the Bronze Age, a piece of an amphora handle with a seal and a perfume jar.
A search of the house found fragments of vases from various periods, an oinochoe of the Bronze Age and a tombstone of the Roman-Hellenistic period. Other antiquities that had been declared were returned to the owners. The Court acknowledged that the defendant had sent a letter to the Department of Antiquities in 1996 requesting that her antiquities be regularized.
"Its content indicates the identification of a certain number of objects. On the other hand, it does not prove that there were no other items in the residence or that what could be indicated during the subsequent on-site visit was necessarily limited to those of the original letter," notes Judge Christia Middleton.
The Court, after examining all the testimony, stressed that the reasonable doubt as to whether all or some of the antiquities inspected had been recorded concerns a necessary component of the accusation. That is why he acquitted her and acquitted her of the charge.
The Court clarified that the acquittal is not related to the way the testimony was presented but to the testimony of the archaeologist who did not have either relevant duties or full information or access to data, which would allow her to present testimony, capable of satisfying the constituent elements of the specific offense, in relation to the fact that the specific offense, of article 33 § 3, in its full examination, as far as it was necessary, is not approachable.
He also stressed that criminal liability is linked to the possession of unregistered seniority and not to the personal failure to fulfill an administrative obligation provided for a specific historical period.
However, the Court, despite the acquittal, ordered that the objects that have been identified as antiquities be handed over to the Department of Antiquities, for safe storage. This surrender does not constitute confiscation. Any subsequent return to the accused can only take place if it is established, in accordance with the prescribed procedures and by the competent bodies, that the legal conditions for their private possession are met
As regards the coins, the Court ordered that a specific scientific examination be carried out. Any coins that do not constitute antiquities should be returned to the accused.
