Israeli land developer Simon Mistriel Aykut is requesting a written commitment from the Attorney General, guaranteeing immunity to any defence witness called to testify in his trial concerning the alleged misappropriation of Greek Cypriot properties in the occupied north.
This request was formally submitted via a letter sent on Monday by the legal representatives of the 74-year-old defendant. While the letter does not explicitly name the individuals the defence intends to call, it is strongly implied that they are individuals who were involved in the illegal developments in the occupied areas.
Furthermore, it was revealed during today’s proceedings at the Nicosia Criminal Court that the prosecution has amended the indictment. According to Senior Counsel of the Republic, Andreas Aristides, who is handling the case for the state, the details of 102 out of the total 242 charges have been modified to include the official estimated value of each plot of land allegedly misappropriated by the construction group with which Aykut is associated.
Aristides explained that the final official valuations from the Land Registry regarding the value of the land plots were recently submitted.
Additionally, 12 new prosecution witnesses have been added, bringing the total number of prosecution witnesses to 114. The defence is scheduled to present its positions at the next hearing on 2 May.
Specifically, defence lawyer Maria Neophytou requested time to review the additional witness material, consult with her client, and advise him on his response to the amended indictment.
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