Newsroom
The female suspect, who was arrested in the hit-and-run murder of Charlie Birch, was released Thursday from custody and could become a witness for the prosecution.
Last Sunday, the 23-year-old Greek national was arrested along with her boyfriend in connection with the murder of British tourist Charlie Birch, aged 39 and a father of two.
The woman’s boyfriend, a 35-year-old Greek Cypriot, is being accused of murder after on Sunday at 3am he drove his car and slammed it into the two Britons who were on foot, killing Birch instantly and wounding his 32-year-old friend.
The car then sped away and was later found abandoned in the water at a local harbour.
'We killed them… I don’t want to go to prison,' she shouted out
The two friends were vacationing in Cyprus and were at a bar in Coral Bay when they saw another man, the 35-year-old suspect, verbally and physically abusing his girlfriend.
Witnesses said the two friends stepped in to protect the woman and ended up getting into a fight with the suspect, who then left the premises.
Police were later criticised for arresting the female.
The Advisory Committee for the Prevention and Combating of Domestic Violence citing a number of media reports and statements to police that suggested she was a victim of domestic abuse and could become a potential witness in Birch's murder.
The committee noted that police knew the female was living with the suspect and the state had a legal obligation to recognise her as a victim of violence and offer her protection.
Following the hit-and-run attack, the suspect drove the car into the water in a local harbour, where passersby helped the woman get out while her boyfriend walked out on his own.
According to reports, the woman was in a state of shock and was screaming repeatedly.
“We killed them… I don’t want to go to prison,” she shouted out.
Police said they had no basis to keep the 23-year-old in custody, while an earlier statement said they were conducting an investigation with sensitivity and the arrest was based on a valid warrant.
It is expected that she may become a prosecution witness in the case.
