Suspects remanded in Ayia Napa highway murder

After a long and dramatic hearing in the Ayia Napa highway murder and alibis presented before the Famagusta district court, the four suspects were remanded for eight days on suspicion of being the main culprits in the crime.

The suspects, four Greek Cypriots aged 27, 35, 36, and 44 who were arrested Wednesday in connection with the murder of Gary Boris Christodoulou, appeared before a judge on Thursday under heavy protection to attend their remand hearing.

Prosecutors are charging three of the suspects with the murder of Christodoulou, aged 33, who was gunned down two weeks ago on the Ayia Napa highway. A fourth suspect is accused of hiding evidence to police investigators.

Following a dramatic remand hearing with a heated exchange at times between the defence and prosecution, a judge later ordered all four suspects to be remanded in custody for eight days.

Competeting crime factions

The case was initially described as a difficult one as police had little preliminary findings.

But after prosecutors were able to draw what they say were links to another underworld hit in Ayia Napa back in 2016, they made the arrests after learning that the victim might have been tricked by at least one of the suspects who had gained his trust.