Plea change in Strovolos double murder trial

The criminal trial in the Strovolos double murder trial went in recess on Friday, with both the prosecutor and a new defence lawyer asking for time.

During the hearing on Friday at the Nicosia District Court, a new defence attorney for Sara Siams, the former girlfriend of the main suspect and a codefendant in the case, asked for some time to examine documents and prepare to cross examine the next prosecution witness. Thanasis Korfiotis, who told the court it was not his intention to delay the trial, also said his client would like to change her plea on theft conspiracy charges from not guilty to guilty.

Prosecutor Polina Efthyvoulou did not raise any objection with the request, telling the court she would also use the time to speak with the attorney general, but it was not clear whether a plea bargain was on the table.

Sotiris Argyrou, Siams’ former attorney, reportedly stepped aside due to a financial dispute. Previously he had complained in court that he was not getting documents from the prosecution in a timely manner, while a plea bargain last year reportedly fell through.

Siams told crime investigators last year that Loizos Tzionis, the main suspect in the case, had confided in her that he had killed 60-year-old Yiorgos Hadjigeorgiou and his 59-year-old wife Dina Sergiou. She also said she was trying to leave him because she was in an abusive relationship.

In previous hearings, a witness for the prosecution testified that Tzionis went to the residence on Zalongou street with the intent to kill the married couple, who were savagely stabbed to death on April 18.

Tzionis’ lawyer Andreas Anastasiou rejected the notion during cross examination, adding his client had gone to the house with the intent to commit robbery, with both sides pointing to selected pieces of evidence found at the scene of the crime.

There are two other men as co-defendants in the case, including Tzionis’ half brother Lefteris Solomou and Marios Hadjixenofondos. Both have denied all charges, while Tzionis, who had initially denied only burglary charges citing that “the house was open,” later changed his plea to not guilty to all charges.

The next hearing has been scheduled for February 14 at 9am.