Newsroom
A 51-year-old Georgian national charged in connection with the killing of Stavros Demosthenous has been released under restrictive conditions following a ruling by the Court of Appeal.
The man is one of six individuals facing charges in the high-profile case. Investigators had linked him to the alleged crime after his DNA was discovered on a fuel container found inside a stolen Mitsubishi vehicle believed to be connected to the murder.
The appellate court overturned an earlier decision by the Limassol District Court, which had ordered the accused to remain in custody pending trial. In reassessing the matter, the Court of Appeal concluded that there was insufficient evidence to suggest a risk that the defendant would abscond.
In its reasoning, the court noted that the accused had voluntarily appeared before the court on multiple occasions, including for the filing of charges, while he was already free under conditions, conduct that weighed against concerns of flight risk.
The case is scheduled to move forward on 29 January 2026, when proceedings will begin before the Limassol Assize Court.
It is noted that on 17 November, the District Court had previously accepted the prosecution’s request for pretrial detention, citing the gravity of the alleged offences and the potential for conviction. That decision has now been set aside by the higher court.
