The Limassol Assize Court has ordered the suspension of criminal proceedings against three of the six defendants in the case concerning the murder of Stavros Demosthenous. The decision was announced after the prosecution informed the court that it had received instructions from the Attorney General to halt the prosecution of the three individuals.
The case has been adjourned to 16 September, when the court is expected to hear the facts relating to a vehicle theft charge admitted by one of the defendants and proceed to sentencing.
Court decision on three defendants
The suspension of proceedings concerns Defendants 1, 2 and 3, namely a 30-year-old man alleged to have been involved in the theft of a motorcycle, a 30-year-old inmate of the Central Prisons, and a 51-year-old man who had been at liberty under strict bail conditions.
According to the prosecution, the decision followed instructions issued by the Attorney General.
Vehicle theft charge remains
In the case of the first 30-year-old defendant, a charge relating to the theft of a Mitsubishi Colt vehicle was added to the indictment. The defendant admitted the charge before the court.
As a result, he now remains before the court only in relation to that offence and is expected to be sentenced at a later hearing.
Status of the other defendants
For the other two individuals affected by the decision, the 15 charges they had been facing were suspended.
The 30-year-old inmate is expected to return to the Central Prisons to continue serving a sentence imposed in a separate case, while the 51-year-old man has been released from the restrictive conditions previously imposed on him.
Next court hearing
The proceedings have been rescheduled for 16 September, when the court will hear the facts concerning the admitted vehicle theft offence before imposing sentence on the 30-year-old defendant.
Separate proceedings will also continue in relation to the three remaining defendants, who still face charges in connection with the murder case.
