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In a major development in the trial of 74-year-old Simon Aykut, the man accused of seizing Greek Cypriot properties in the occupied areas, the defendant admitted to 40 charges related to the alleged misappropriation. Prosecutors have now dropped the remaining charges.
The prosecution, represented by Vasilis Bissas, told the Criminal Court that following Aykut’s admission and instructions from the Attorney General, all charges that were not admitted are being suspended, according to 24News's Elizabeth Georgiou.
At the start of Monday’s session, Aykut’s lawyer, Maria Neophytou, informed the court that her client would change his previous stance and formally admit to the charges he had previously denied. She requested a short adjournment to organize agreed-upon facts, a step aimed at potentially reducing the severity of the sentence.
When the court reconvened, Neophytou presented the list of facts that Aykut acknowledges as true, officially setting the stage for the next phase of the trial.
This marks a significant moment in a case that has drawn attention over allegations of large-scale property seizures in the north, with implications for justice and property rights for Greek Cypriots whose land was affected.
