Court overrules itself in police leak trial

The judge in the trial of former deputy police chief Andreas Kyriacou, who is being accused of leaking confidential documents in Ayia Napa mob killings, has ruled that the trial can go forward in a decision that went up against his earlier ruling.

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The trial was recently up in the air after a court deadline over the summer came and went, with state prosecutors failing to meet a condition set by the judge.

The Nicosia District Court judge in the case had asked prosecutors to hand over to the defence an internal report in its entirety, following arguments by Kyriacou’s lawyer that his client was being accused of crimes based on findings that were not scrutinized.

The court warned the state prosecutor that she would be found in contempt if she refused to hand over the evidence.

But the state prosecutor refused to comply with the court order, prompting observers to declare the case would surely be dismissed.

Then Attorney General Costas Clerides himself appeared in court and told the judge the report contained confidential information on matters unrelated to Kyriacou’s case and sharing such details would be detrimental to Cyprus police.

The judge then agreed to review the information by himself and later sided with the prosecutor and attorney general, saying on Friday the trial can forward and the defence did not need to have access to the full report.

Kyriacou was ordered to stand trial, starting with his arraignment on November 23, unless the defence could decide to take the matter to the Supreme Court.